The Wedding
by BealsBaby
Summary: With four weeks to go to her wedding, Tina will be spending a lot of time with her maid of honour, Bette. Can Bette keep her feelings under control and be there for her friend?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N**

**This one's another Tibette story, but completely seperate from the show. Somehow it's ended up novel length, so hold on for the ride!**

_**4 Weeks To Go**_

_"Beeeettttteee pleeeeaaase" the blonde had whined to her best friend "you have to come with me. You were so busy with work when I picked the dress out, I need you at the final fitting. I can't have my maid of honour not see the dress before the wedding"_

_Well, what she had said was partly true. Bette had been suddenly busy at work in the weeks that Tina had set aside to pick out her wedding dress, however the part that the blonde didn't know was that her sudden extra hours had come at her own request. There was no way that she was going to stand and watch her best friend try and pick out the perfect dress for her wedding to that man. But now, now that she could hear that sweet voice in her ear, her resolve to make up a further excuse was quickly fading._

_"Okaaay" she had agreed reluctantly "I'll come with you"_

_"Thank you thank you thank you!" Tina had exclaimed "You're the best friend in the world ever!"_

And that was how Bette came to be sat in the front of the bridal shop, waiting for her best friend to emerge from the changing rooms. She had been practicing her facial expressions, hoping that she had managed to nail the 'I'm really happy for you' one in the ten minutes that she'd been waiting.

"Are you ready Bette?" called the blonde from behind the curtain.

"As I'll ever be"

The second that Tina emerged from behind the curtain, all pre-rehearsed facial expressions went out of the window. Her jaw dropped and her eyes widened at the sight of the blonde in the white strapless dress that fitted her form perfectly.

"Is it ok?" Tina asked nervously.

"Ok? T you look…incredible. More than incredible. Amazing, spectacular, astonishing…"

"Bette, stop, you'll make me blush!" the blonde protested.

"I'm serious" the brunette said, getting up to stand before her friend "you look perfect"

"And you would tell me if you didn't like it?" the blonde still sounded unsure.

"Have I ever lied to you?"

"No….see this is why I needed you to come with me"

"What, so I could check you out in your wedding dress?" the brunette teased.

"I suppose it's an advantage to having a best friend who's a lesbian"

"T, even if I were straight I'd be able to see how breathtaking you look in that dress"

A tear trickled down Tina's cheek and she pulled her friend into an embrace "You really are the best"

"Hows about we get you out of that dress before you get mascara on it and I take you for a coffee?"

"Make it a glass of wine and we have a deal"

The brunette chuckled and nodded, a familiar sinking feeling washing over her as it always did when Tina broke one of their embraces.

With the wedding dress safely back on its hanger and stored at the shop, the two women had made their way to a nearby bar and were sat at table with a bottle of wine between them.

"I can't believe it's only a month 'til the wedding" Tina said out loud, shaking her head.

"Time really has flown, huh?" the brunette mused sadly.

"Thank you for dealing with my mini meltdowns. You really have been a rock"

"What are maids of honour for?" Bette forced a smile.

The blonde reached out to take hold of her friends hand "I don't think I'd have been able to stay sane through these past few months without you"

"You know I'm always here T"

They sat in the comfortable silence of two people who have been friends for years, neither one pulling their hand away.

"You still looking forward to the big day? No cold feet yet?" Bette asked, breaking the silence.

"Bette" the blonde warned, pulling back her hand "please don't start on about Henry again"

"I didn't say a word"

"You didn't have to. I know you well enough to know when you're about to go off on one of your rants about him"

"I just want you to be happy" the brunette said softly, unable to meet her friend's gaze.

"Are you ok?" Tina asked, concerned at her friend's sudden change of mood.

"I'm fine" Bette looked up, a regretful smile on her face "I just…you know how highly I think of you Tina, and you deserve to be treated like a princess"

"Henry loves me. You don't think this ring is fit for a princess?" the blonde asked, holding up her left hand.

The brunette sighed "It's not about the ring, or any of the other gifts T, you know that. You're such an amazing person…I just want you to be with someone who appreciates you…who gets you…"

"Bette" the blonde held her hand up to stop her friend before she went any further "please don't do this. I'm marrying Henry ok. You mean the world to me, and I know I can't make you like Henry, but please just try to accept my choice"

"Ok" Bette shrugged in resignation "but if he thinks he's taking you away from me, he's got another thing coming"

The blonde had to laugh "He wouldn't dare try. Nothing's gonna change between us B. And you're gonna be right by my side on the big day"

_Just the wrong side of you the brunette thought to herself._

"I guess I'll have to try not to steal your thunder" she said, trying to lighten the mood.

Tina smiled "Not to worry, I've got your bin liner all picked out so that you don't look better than me walking down the aisle"

"Not a chance. In that dress, nobody's gonna be able to take their eyes off you"

The blonde rolled her eyes "I'm sure you'll get your fair share of attention. There's bound to be a cute girl wanting to hook up with the hot bridesmaid"

_Unfortunately, this hot bridesmaid isn't interested in anyone except for the drop dead gorgeous bride Bette thought._

"Do you have a date for the wedding? You know you can always add a plus one. What about that Jodi woman from work that you mentioned?"

The brunette shook her head adamently "No, no date. I'm free to be at your beck and call for the entire day"

"You sure you know what you're letting yourself in for?"

_Torture thought the brunette._

"Why, you planning on turning into Bridezilla?" she joked.

"You'll tell me if I do, right?" the blonde asked worriedly.

Bette chuckled "T I don't think you're even remotely capable of getting that bad"

"Well at least I have you to keep me in check"

"I promise I'll keep an eye on you" or both eyes. At all times.

"And you won't let the bachelorette party get too out of control?"

"I make no promises with Alice involved" the brunette grinned.

"Bette! You're in charge, please don't let her do anything too crazy"

"Don't worry T, you're safe with me"


	2. Chapter 2

**3 1/2 weeks to go**

Tina sat at her dining table opposite her fiance, her head propped up by her hand as she stared down at the piece of paper in front of her. The issue of the guest list had been a bone of contention ever since they started planning the wedding, and this evening as they tried to finalise the list, they found themselves at odds once again.

"Tina, will you at least try and be reasonable about this?" Henry asked, leaning forwards with his forearms resting on the table.

Leaning back in her chair, the blonde stared her fiance down "You want to explain to me exactly how I'm being UNreasonable?"

"You know how my family is. There's a lot of us and I can't very well not have my own family at my wedding. And I have to invite the guys from the office else I stand no chance of getting the promotion at the end of the year"

"So your promotion is more important than me having my friends at my wedding?"

"This promotion is important for both of us"

"And you should be able to get it without needing to kiss ass and invite people you barely speak to to our wedding"

"Tina, please be reasonable…" Henry started.

"If being reasonable is letting you decide 75% of the guest list to OUR wedding, then no Henry, I won't be reasonable. A marriage is about a partnership of equals and that should damn well start with the wedding itself!"

Henry pulled the piece of paper across the table to examine the list "Come on Tina, I mean do you really need to invite all these lesbians. It's not like a church wedding is exactly their scene"

"These lesbians, as you put it, are like my family" Tina seethed "and your ignorance really does never fail to astound me"

"I'm not being ignorant, I'm just being realistic. They can't get married themselves so why are they gonna want to be there watching you get married?"

"This may seem like a bizarre concept to you Henry, but some people actually put my happiness above their own and are willing to set aside their own issues with the laws of this country and help me with what's meant to be the most important day of my life!"

"But Tina, my promotion…"

"Fuck your promotion Henry. If you were good enough, you'd get it anyway. And anyway, what are you asking me to do…uninvite my bridesmaids? Or perhaps you'd like Bette to perform her maid of honour duties from the comfort of her own home?" Tina was yelling by this point, getting to her feet in frustration.

"Now you're just being ridiculous"

"Well I'm gonna go and be ridiculous somewhere else for the evening. You can do whatever the fuck you like with your half of the guest list, but mine is staying as it is"

"Where are you going?" Henry called after the retreating figure of his fiancee.

"To see the lesbians!" Tina shouted back as she picked up her purse and headed out of the house.

The blonde was still seething when she pulled up outside her best friend's house, relieved to see that the Saab was parked in it's regular spot. She rang the doorbell and couldn't help but break into what was the first smile in what felt like hours when she saw the brunette answer the door.

"Hey T, what are you doing here?"

"Can I come in?"

"Of course" Bette stepped aside with a smile to let her friend in, closing the door behind her.

"Sorry to turn up unannounced" the blonde apologised, making herself at home on the brunettes sofa.

"Nonsense T, you know you're welcome here anytime. So to what do I owe the pleasure of your company this evening?" the brunette asked, taking a seat at the opposite end of the sofa from her friend with her feet up so that she was facing her.

The blonde let out a deep breath "Yet another row about the guest list. I had to get out before I said something I regretted"

"Who's he trying to get you to agree to add this time?"

"More people from the office and some long lost relatives that he hasn't seen since he was a kid. He actually had the cheek to suggest that we should invite them over, and I quote 'these lesbians' because people who can't get married themselves would have no reason to want to be at my wedding"

"T…" Bette started, biting her tongue to hold back the stream of abuse that was threatening to emerge against her best friend's fiance.

"I know, I know" the blonde rolled her eyes, stretching her legs out so that her feet were in the brunettes lap.

"So how did you leave it?" the brunette asked, her anger remaining beneath the surface for the time being as she distracted herself by rubbing the feet that had appeared in her lap.

"I walked out telling him that he can sort out his own half of the list, and that mine is staying as it is"

"Good for you T" Bette smiled, applying pressure to the balls of the blondes feet.

"Mmm Bette, that feels so good" the blonde moaned, closing her eyes.

"All part of the maid of honour service"

"Does that service extend to a back massage too? I feel like the world is literally pressing down on my shoulders"

The brunette swallowed, glad that her friend's eyes were closed so that she couldn't see the blush spread across her face "Err sure T…come over here"

A grin spread over the blonde's face as she turned and shuffled backwards so that she was sat between the brunette's legs. She pulled her top off and placed it in front of her, leaving Bette gaping at the close proximity of her bra clad back.

"Work your magic B"

With shaking hands, the brunette reached out and made contact with Tina's skin. Her hands rested atop the blondes shoulders, her thumbs pressing just above her shoulder blades and moving in circles. She heard Tina let out a moan and had to bite her lip to prevent one from slipping out of her own mouth.

Trying to put her arousal aside, the brunette let her hands move down the blonde's back, working out the knots as she went. She resisted the urge to unclasp her bra and continued to work her way down to her lower back. She smoothed her hands over the soft skin, leaning in with her body to add the much needed pressure. Hearing little moans escaping the blondes mouth, she was getting lost in the moment. As her hands rubbed the small of Tina's back, she found herself leaning in to place a kiss between her shoulder blades.

"What was that?" the blonde asked quietly.

"Err…T…I'm sorry…I just…" Bette stammered, pulling back from her friend.

"No" Tina reassured, reaching behind her to place the brunette's hands back on her "it felt…nice"

The brunette leant her forehead against the top of the blonde's back, her hands working their magic once again "Are you sure?"

"Yeah" the blonde replied with a blush "it's really relaxing"

She knew that she was only causing herself further frustration, but Bette couldn't help herself. In a matter of weeks her best friend was going to be married, and despite the regular reassurances, she knew that things were going to change. So if this was her last chance to be this close to the blonde, she wasn't going to let it go without showing her friend what she was missing.

As her hands worked their way back up the blonde's muscular back, she kept her head rested against her shoulder and left a slow, open mouthed kiss in the spot that she had kissed earlier. Sensing no resistance, she kissed her again, this time her tongue flicking out to graze the hot skin. Hearing the blonde gasp, she lifted her head so that her mouth was by the side of her ear.

"Does that feel good?" she asked huskily, knowing that she was crossing a line but not caring in that moment.

"Uhh…yeah…" the blonde breathed "I can see why…you get women…fighting over you"

The brunette closed her eyes. If only you knew she thought the only woman they all have to fight is you.

"I always save the best for you" she whispered, her breath tingling against the blonde's ear.

"Mmm…what would I do without you?"

"Luckily for you you'll never have to find out"

The blonde smiled, her eyes firmly shut as she enjoyed the close attention that Bette's hands were paying her tightened muscles. She wasn't kidding earlier, with a touch like that it was easy to see why her best friend had a seemingly endless line of women queuing up to seek her attentions. But she'd always loved the fact that no matter who came along, Bette always put her first.

The brunette's hands stilled and rested flat against Tina's back "How does that feel?"

"Sooooo much better" the blonde smiled, leaning back so that she was lying against her friend "you really are the best"

Bette looked down and couldn't help but stare at her friend's cleavage. She wrapped her arms around the blonde's waist, a position they had laid in many a time before.

"Well someone has to take care of you, don't they?" she said, a hint of sadness in her voice.

"Promise you'll still take care of me when I'm married?" the blonde asked, her hands covering the brunette's that rested on her stomach.

"You just try and stop me"

"I mean it B" the blonde lifted her head to look at her friend "I don't want anything to change"

The brunette kissed the top of her best friend's head, knowing that she could never make a promise about something she wasn't convinced of herself. She spoke softly, saying the only words that she knew to be true in that moment "I'm not going anywhere"

There were a few moments of silence between the two in which Bette rested her chin on the top of the blonde's head.

"Do you think I could stay here tonight?" Tina asked quietly.

"Of course you can T"

"Like old times?"

The brunette swallowed and thought back to the old times that the blonde was referring to.

_It was one in the morning and Bette couldn't sleep, a regular occurrance with all the pressures that university entailed. Her father, wanting her to have as little distractions from her studies as possible, had forked out the extra for her to have a private room. But the peace and quiet did nothing to ease the worries that so often tormented her, particularly at night when there was noone there to distract her._

_She heard a key turn in the lock and smiled to herself. There was only one person that could be. Ignoring the rules and regulations that came with university residences, she and her best friend had both got copies of one another's room keys cut, mainly for moments like this. She turned over to look at the blonde who had become visible in the faint moonlight that passed through the gap in the curtains._

_"Bette?" came a quiet voice, breaking through the silence._

_"Yeah?" she asked, resting up on her elbow._

_"Can I get in with you?"_

_"Course you can" the brunette replied, shifting over to make room for her friend._

_Tina got into the bed quickly, seeking the warmth and comfort that she needed in that moment. She snuggled up to her friend, her feet tangling with the brunettes as they faced each other._

_"T your feet are freezing!" Bette yelped._

_The blonde giggled "They turned the heat off on the landing"_

_The brunette tried to untangle her feet from the blonde's, but in all honesty, she didn't put up much of a fight._

_"If you wore more to bed, you wouldn't feel the cold so much" Tina pointed out._

_It was true, Bette did wear very little to bed. She was dressed in only her underwear, caring little that her bra was uncomfortable to sleep in when she knew that there was a chance that her best friend might come and join her in bed._

_"Well I have to be ready in case an attractive woman comes calling in the night"_

_"Oh, so I'm not the only one who sneaks into your room in the middle of the night then?" the blonde teased, her fingernails scratching lightly up and down the exposed skin of the brunette's side._

_"Nope, I get plenty of late night callers" the brunette joked._

_"Well so long as they know they have to get out when I come knocking, you can have as many women here as you like"_

_"You know you always have first dibs on my bed T"_

_The brunette could sense the grin spreading across her best friend's face. She felt the blonde turning over, pressing her back up against her. There were no words needed to explain what Tina wanted, and the brunette instinctively wrapped an arm over her protectively. Their bodies fitted together naturally and immediately both women felt more at ease than they had done when they were in their respective beds alone._

_"Do you want to talk?" Bette asked softly._

_The blonde shook her head "I just want to sleep if that's ok?"_

_"You know it is" the brunette responded, leaning over to plant a kiss on her friend's shoulder._

_"Night B. Love you"_

_"Love you too. Sweet dreams"_

And that was how it had been any night that Tina had had a row with a boyfriend, or a falling out with her family, or was just overcome by the stress that her studies entailed. When she had broken up with her most serious boyfriend at university, Eric, the blonde had spent an entire week sleeping in her best friend's bed. Bette was always there to make her feel safe, and it was a bond that even the rest of their closest friends couldn't come near to replicating. And much as it was agony for the brunette to watch her best friend so upset over the wastes of space that she chose to date, she wouldn't dream of letting anyone else be the one to comfort her.

She looked down to find the blonde staring at her, and realised that she was waiting for a response.

"Just like old times T"

The brunette couldn't help but smile at the fact that her best friend had chosen not to put her top back on after the massage. Her hands were resting comfortably on the blonde's stomach and she was enjoying the fact that her nose was filled with the sweet scent of her shampoo.

"What do you think Henry would say if he knew you were sat here half naked with one of 'those lesbians'?" Bette asked teasingly.

"Ha! I can't work out if he'd be disgusted or turned on"

The brunette pulled a face "Good job he doesn't know about you skinny dipping with a whole bunch of lesbians at Spring Break then"

"He can go fuck himself. If I want to get naked with my friends then I will do"

"I'll tell Alice you said that"

Tina sat up and turned to face her friend, pointing a finger at her "You dare! I've warned you about this bachelorette party"

"You never said no nudity" the brunette teased, holding her hands up.

"I am NOT getting naked…"

"Ok, so maybe YOU don't have to get naked…"

"…and there is no way that I'm letting Alice be the stripper"

"Eww god no" Bette wrinkled her nose "I'd be the stripper myself if it meant avoiding seeing Alice naked"

"The girls would love that"

"Oh I wouldn't be stripping for them, I'd never hear the end of it"

"Oh, so it'd be a private show huh?"

"Obviously" the brunette wiggled her eyes suggestively, a grin plastered across her face.

The blonde just rolled her eyes and chuckled, getting up from the sofa "Come on then Dita von Teese, you can show me your skills while you get ready for bed"

Bette had to laugh at her best friend, trying to remind herself that this conversation was still light hearted.

They made their way through to the bedroom and Tina went straight to the chest of drawers, pulling out a tank top and boxers without needing to ask for permission. The brunette couldn't help but smile at the fact that her best friend felt so at home in her house. However, the expression on her face soon turned to one of lust as she watched the blonde reach behind her to unhook her bra. Her hands clenched into fists as she pictured the view from the front of the blonde, feeling disappointed as she watched her friend pull on the tank top.

She was frozen to the spot and could do nothing but stare as the blonde unfastened her jeans and slid them down her legs, bending slightly as she pulled them from her ankles. The brunettes eyes widened as they focused on her friend's lace covered arse. She knew that she should look away, that she shouldn't stare so openly, but the sight before her was just too tempting.

Once Tina had pulled on the boxers she turned and found her friend standing in the exact spot that she had been minutes earlier. She raised an eyebrow, shaking her head and laughing at the brunette.

"Perv" she scolded jokingly.

"I plead the fifth"

The blonde got into the bed and waited for her friend to join her. The brunette moved to the chest of drawers, searching for something appropriate to wear.

"Don't tell me Bette Porter's gonna wear clothes to bed?"

"Well, I don't get so many women knocking on my door in the middle of the night these days" the brunette retorted, sticking her tongue out.

She unbuttoned her shirt and threw it in the washing basket, quickly followed by her slacks. Unable to find anything that took her fancy in her drawers (and having not looked very hard), she made her way to the bed, getting in beside a smirking blonde.

"I don't think the professionals need to be worried"

"What?" the brunette wrinkled her forehead.

"Your stripping skills"

"Oh" Bette blushed "I'd better get some practise in before the bachelorette party then"

Giggling, the blonde turned on her side, inviting the brunette to hold her which she did willingly. Even though the brunette now had a king size bed, they still met in the middle the same way they had in her single university bed.

"I'm glad you decided against pyjamas"

Bette could feel her heart begin to race "Why's that?"

"'Cause now it's like old times"

"Oh yeah…" the brunette responded disappointedly "old times"

"Thanks for being there for me Bette"

"Anytime"

"Love you"

"Love you too"


	3. Chapter 3

**3 weeks to go**

With several sets of shopping bags locked away in the car, five tired women made their way into the Planet for a much needed drink. Tina had elected to have her university friends Alice, Dana and Helena as her bridesmaids, alongside Bette, but with the amount of hassle that the first friend on the list had caused during their shopping trip, she was beginning to regret her selection.

They soon spotted the sixth member of their close knit group at a table towards the back of the venue. Shane raised a hand in greeting, her other arm resting across the shoulders of her girlfriend Carmen.

It was Bette who made the move to the bar, returning with 2 bottles of wine and a set of glasses. Tina smiled gratefully as the much needed alcohol was distributed amongst the women.

"Alice…I can safely say that that is the last time I am ever going shopping with you" Bette said sternly.

"What? I wasn't that bad!" her friend protested.

Tina scoffed "Al, you made us go to fifteen different stores because the dresses didn't accentuate your ass properly"

"And that my friends, is why I politely declined the invitation to be a bridesmaid" Shane pointed out, feeling quite pleased with herself.

"No, you didn't want to be a bridesmaid because you knew those bumps of yours you call tits would look shit in a dress" Alice retorted.

"I may have smaller tits, but they get a hell of a lot more action than yours"

"Children…" Helena scolded.

Tina smiled at her group of friends, the women who had become her family over the past few years. She had become estranged from her own family during her university years, and had found comfort in this group of women, some of whom were in similar situations. It had never even crossed her mind that it would be an issue that her closest friends were all lesbians, with the exception of Alice, who still proclaimed herself to be bisexual. It was only Henry that seemed to see it as a problem. But Tina didn't care. These women had been there for her through the toughest years of her life, and the six of them had remained in close contact ever since graduation.

The wine flowed freely amongst the friends, and the conversation turned quickly to Tina's impending bachelorette party.

"Al, I mean it when I say I don't want anything too crazy to happen" the blonde warned.

"You say that like you don't trust me!" Alice exclaimed indignantly.

"We've got in under control, don't you worry TK" Shane spoke up.

Tina smiled gratefully "So who exactly have you invited?"

"Well obviously all of us…" Alice started.

"Jenny's gonna come along" Shane added.

Tina tried to keep a smile on her face at the mention of Shane's roommate, someone she had never particulary got on with but tolerated for the sake of her friend.

"And Kit said she might make an appearance" Bette finished.

"Really? That'd be great!" Tina replied excitedly. She'd always had a close relationship with Bette's half sister and didn't get to spend nearly as much time as she'd like with her.

"Anyone for more wine?" Bette asked, getting up.

There was a chorus of positive responses from the group of women.

"I'll come and help you" Shane offered, following her friend to the bar.

There were a few people queuing ahead of them so they waited to be served.

"So you still haven't told her yet then?" Shane asked.

"Told who what?" Bette feigned ignorance.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about. You're really gonna just let her get married without telling her how you feel about her"

Bette sighed and just shrugged "What else can I do?"

This wasn't a new conversation between the two friends. Shane was the only one that knew how her friend felt about the blonde, something she'd figured out while they were still at university. Over the years she'd tried to encourage Bette to speak to Tina, but as the blonde's relationship with Henry progressed, she had been more and more reluctant to do so.

"I've told her before…"

"I know, I know, but she didn't remember…" Shane prepared herself for the story that she, and only she, had heard so many times before.

_As was the case on many a Saturday night, the gang of six had been drinking for several hours in their local bar. By the early hours of the morning just Bette and Tina remained, with Dana and Helena calling it a night earlier due to training and an assignment respectively, Shane having left with her girl of the night, and Alice being sent home an hour earlier because she could barely stand._

_Neither Bette nor Tina was particularly sober either, but the brunette seemed to be slightly less worse for wear than her friend. They had worn themselves out dancing, and were now propping up the bar with Tina leaning on the brunette for support._

_"You really are the best B" the blonde slurred, leaning up to kiss her friend on the cheek._

_The brunette could feel her heart racing in her chest at the close proximity of the woman that she had been in love with for the past two years. The blonde's lips lingered against her cheek, and with the alcohol giving her a courage she had not previously possessed, the brunette turned her head and pressed her lips to Tina's._

_The blonde put a hand on Bette's shoulder to steady herself while the brunette couldn't resist but hold the back of her friend's head. Their lips didn't move, but remained pressed together, and the brunette had no idea how long they remained like that._

_It was Tina who separated them and nuzzled her head into her friend's shoulder._

_"You think I could stay at yours tonight?" she asked._

_"Yeah" the brunette breathed, her hand sliding down to the bottom of the blonde's back "you want to go now?"_

_The blonde nodded and let herself be lead out of the bar by her friend, their fingers interlinked._

_When they reached the brunette's room, she found herself nervous all of a sudden. It wasn't like Tina was some girl she had picked up in a club…in fact she wasn't even sure if the blonde had known what the timing of her request to stay had suggested to the brunette…and besides this was her best friend who had stayed in her bed a million times before…but then again, the blonde hadn't backed away from the kiss, had she?_

_While her internal dilemma was occurring, the blonde had removed her clothes and got under the covers dressed only in her underwear._

_"Babe…get in, I'm cold"_

_The brunette was feeling anything but cold in that moment, but a distinct shiver ran down her spine when she heard her best friend call her 'Babe'. She stripped off her clothes and joined the blonde in her single bed._

_They were face to face in the bed, their legs moving to intertwine as they always did when they lay together. Shakily the brunette reached out a hand to rest it on the blonde's hip, her fingers feeling like they were touching fire. Tina lifted her hand and ran it through her best friend's hair, their faces inches apart as she smiled at her._

_"What's wrong?" she asked, noting the look on Bette's face._

_"T…I…"_

_The blonde bit her lip shyly, her eyes struggling to focus on her friend. Bette knew that it was now or never. She leant forwards and pressed her lips to the blonde's again, feeling the hand in her hair grip her tighter. Taking this as an encouragement, she began to move her lips tentatively, feeling the blonde respond to her kiss. The hand that had rested on Tina's hip began to slide up and down her side, her tongue flicking against her top lip to seek entrance. The blonde opened her mouth and welcomed the brunette's tongue as they clung onto each other tightly. Bette couldn't help but let out a moan as she felt her tongue brush against the blonde's, she was rapidly losing control of her arousal._

_"T…" the brunette breathed "I need to tell you something"_

_"What?" the blonde asked, her eyes glazed over with her level of intoxication._

_"I like you…more than that…I love you T"_

_Tina wrinkled her brow, not quite understanding what was being said._

_"Not just as a friend. I'm in love with you"_

_"Tell me that when we're sober" the blonde whispered._

_She leant in and kissed the brunette softly, letting the feel of her lips linger on hers. She then rolled over, taking hold of Bette's hand so that she was holder her tightly. The two women drifted quickly into sleep, as was expected with the amount of alcohol they had drunk, their bodies remaining pressed together for the duration of the night_.

_Bette awoke the next morning to the sound of retching coming from the next room. She jumped out of bed, trying to ignore the raging headache that was half blinding her, and made her way to her en suite bathroom where she found the blonde bent over the toilet._

_"You ok T?"_

_"Yeah…I think that was the last of it…god, how much did I drink last night?"_

_"I lost count around midnight"_

_"Everything's a blur after Alice bought that round of tequilas"_

_"Let me get you some water" the brunette offered, getting a glass and filling it from the tap._

_"Thanks" the blonde took the drink gratefully and got to her feet "so what did happen last night?"_

_Their eyes met and the brunette was fighting a battle in her own head. Now was the moment to tell Tina everything that had happened. But there was an overwhelming fear that if the blonde truly didn't remember any of what had transpired the night before, she might think that Bette had taken advantage of her. And she was willing to put aside all her personal feelings if it meant not damaging her friendship with Tina._

_"Well…" she started, feeling the power of the blonde's gaze on her "Alice got so drunk she didn't even make it to midnight, and Shane hooked up"_

_"Sounds like just another Saturday night then huh?"_

_There was a hint of sadness in Tina's eyes that the brunette just couldn't read, and that concerned her. Usually she was the only person who always knew what the blonde was thinking without the need for words. But the effect of the hangover meant that any expression on her face was somewhat difficult to read._

_"You fancy some good ol' greasy food to soak up that alcohol?" Bette asked, trying to change the subject from the night before._

_"God yes" the blonde exclaimed._

_The two women dressed and headed to a local cafe for some much needed junk food, and the night before was never mentioned between the two again_.

"I just…I can't risk losing her Shane"

"So you'd rather sit back and watch her play happy families with that loser?"

It was no secret that Shane shared Bette's opinion of Henry, yet they had to respect the choices that their friend made.

"If it mean I get to keep her in my life, then yes" Bette stated adamently.

"Do you really think Tina would cut you out if you told her, even if she didn't feel the same?"

"I can't take that risk"

"And do you not think she deserves to know? That she should be aware that she has another option before she goes and throws her life away?"

"If she was interested I'd know by now" Bette responded stubbornly.

"She kissed you back that night Bette. Don't forget that"

"Like I could ever forget that"

"Well that has to mean something. I mean, no matter how drunk I've been, I've never got into bed with any of you guys and kissed you. And I've kissed a lot of women"

"I can't ruin this for her Shane, I couldn't live with myself if I did that"

The conversation was interrupted while they ordered the drinks, and as they gathered them up to carry them back to the table, Shane turned to her friend once again.

"Just don't leave it until it's too late, because you'll regret it Bette, trust me"


	4. Chapter 4

**16 days to go**

It was a Thursday evening and Bette was staring at the bottle of Scotch that she had placed on the living room table. Her and Tina had had an arrangement ever since they graduated from university, that if they hadn't got together during the week so far they would make sure to get together for dinner on a Thursday, even if it was only for an hour or two. This week, however, they had neither seen each other, nor had they arranged to go to dinner.

Bette knew that a part of her was being stupid, that she'd seen the blonde the previous weekend, and would be seeing her the next weekend, but this represented so much more than that. For the brunette, it was a sign of things to come. No matter how many times her best friend had promised her that nothing would change between them, things were changing already, and the wedding hadn't even happened yet.

Sighing deeply, she unscrewed the cap from the bottle and poured herself a large glass of the amber liquid. She sat back in the chair and took a large sip, enjoying the way the liquid burned on it's way down her throat.

This was the way it was going to be from now on. After all those years, the seemingly unbreakable bond between the two women was being tested by a man that the brunette hd come to hate over time. Not just because she saw him as taking away the love of her life, but because she hated the way he treated Tina. Watching the one you love being with someone who takes them for granted was one of the most painful things she had ever experienced, particularly when she knew just how well she would treat the blonde if she were just given the chance.

She put the now-empty glass back on the table and refilled it immediately. Shane's words rang through her head, yet still she knew that she couldn't face telling Tina how she truly felt. She could just about handle things changing between them, just so long as she kept her best friend in her life. The thought of losing her forever was something that the brunette couldn't even begin to contemplate.

Across town, Tina was once again at loggerheads with her fiance. She'd had every intention of picking up a take away and calling in to Bette's, however Henry had caught her just before she planned on leaving and she'd never got the chance to text her friend.

"Look, I just don't get why you can't stay in the house until the wedding"

"I've told you this before, I want to do this the traditional way" Tina tried explaining for the fourth time.

"You can hardly call this relationship traditional Tina, we've been living together for nearly two years. It just doesn't make sense for you to stay somewhere else after your bachelorette party"

"Well it makes sense to me, and you know what, it's my decision"

"So I have to go without sex for the next two weeks?" Henry asked, clearly frustrated at the direction this conversation was taking.

"Seriously? That's what you're bothered about? Not getting laid?!"

"No, Tina, it's not that. I just want to spend some time with you before the wedding" Henry tried to back track.

"We're getting married Henry. We have the rest of our lives to spend together. And the way we're going right now, I'm not sure we'll make it to the wedding without killing each other if I don't stay somewhere else"

"Come on Tina…"

"My mind's made up Henry. You're not gonna change my mind"

Tina was pacing the living room. She was sick to death of the arguments about the wedding, and in all honesty, the explanation about it being traditional not to live together after the bachelorette party was just an excuse. She just wanted to save herself the inevitable rows that would surely worsen as the big day grew closer.

"So you're not even going to consider how I feel about this?"

"What, so you want me to put aside my own opinions and just do what you want?" Tina retorted.

"No, I'm not saying that…" Henry protested.

"Yes you are. That's exactly what you're saying Henry"

"I'm sorry Tina, I didn't mean it to sound like that" Henry tried a different tact "I just wish all the stress could be over and we'd be away on our honeymoon"

"Me too"

"So there's nothing I can do to change your mind?"

"No, I'm sorry. It's only a couple of weeks. And when we come back from the honeymoon I want it to be like I'm moving in for the first time"

"That's pretty sweet" Henry managed a smile.

"Good. Now I need to get over to Bette's to sort out some details for this weekend"

"Tina it's pretty late, do you really need to see her tonight?"

"Yes" Tina responded adamently "besides, it's a Thursday. You know I always see Bette on a Thursday"

"Your're damn right I do" the man muttered under his breath.

"Will you quit bitching about her, she's my best friend, and no matter how much you dislike her, she's not going to stop being a part of my life. A fucking huge part of my life"

"I just don't like the influence that she has on you"

"She doesn't have any influence on me, she's my best friend"

"I just think you should maybe look for some friends…you know…outside of the people you hang around with at the moment. It doesn't exactly give off the best impression"

"To who Henry? Who do I need to make a good impression on? I'm guessing you're referring to the fact that my friend's are lesbians, and I'm telling you that the people in my life sure as hell don't care. So this must be about people in your life, am I right?"

"Well…it's just with this promotion opportunity coming up…"

"Oh for fucks sake Henry, I'm not even having this conversation with you"

"Where are you going?" Henry stood up as Tina made for the door.

"Like I just told you, I'm going to Bette's. Don't wait up 'cause I'm sleeping in the spare room tonight"

Bette had lost track of how many glasses of Scotch she had drunk when the doorbell rang, but from the significant reduction in the amount of liquid remaining in the bottle, it was clearly quite a few. She got up and had to grab the back of the chair to steady herself as she made her way to the door. When she opened it an uncontrollable smile spread across her face.

"Tina!"

"Bette, are you drunk?"

"Nooo…maybe a little…"

"Come on" the blonde stepped in, ushering her friend over to the sofa "did you eat?"

The brunette just mumbled in response.

"I'll take that as a no. Give me two minutes"

Tina made her way into the kitchen and fixed her friend a sandwich. She'd have made her something more substantial but by now it was probably too late, and in any case, she wanted to get back in there and figure out what had prompted her best friend to get in such a state when she had work the next day.

"Here you go" she gave Bette the sandwich and sat beside her on the sofa, waiting until she finished eating before taking her hands to make her look at her.

"You came" the brunette smiled shyly.

"Have I ever let you down before?"

"No…I just…" Bette trailed off.

"Look at me Bette. What's going on?"

The brunette raised her eyes to meet the blonde's. She was touched by the concern that she found there "I thought you weren't coming"

The blonde frowned "So you're drunk because of me?"

"No…yes…I dunno"

"You're not making sense Bette"

"I'm not making much sense in my own head right now" the brunette admitted.

"Well actually I have a proposition for you that might improve your mood"

"What's that?"

"I told Henry that I want to stay somewhere else between the bachelorette party and the wedding, you know, for tradition's sake. Plus it would probably save me from a fight or two"

Bette just looked at her, her brain taking a while to register what her friend was saying as a result of the amount of alcohol she had consumed.

"I'm asking if I can stay with you for the two weeks before the wedding" the blonde helped out.

"Ohhhh" realisation dawned on the brunette "I'd really like that T"

"Some me and you time before I go off on honeymoon yeah?"

A sad smile appeared on Bette's face "Yeah"

"You wanna tell me what's going on with you?"

"T…" the brunette took a deep breath, knowing what she had to say wasn't going to be easy "are you sure you're making the right decision?"

"What do you mean?"

"Are you sure…are you sure you want to marry Henry?"

"Bette…"

"Please just hear me out T. I know you don't like listening to what I have to say about him, but I have to say this before it's too late. And if you tell me that you're happy, and that you're sure about what you're doing, then I won't bring it up again. But please say you'll listen to what I have to say"

"….Ok" the blonde answered slowly, focused intently on her friend.

"Tina, how long have we known each other?"

"Like…ten years?"

"And who knows you better than anyone else in the world?"

"You do. And that's never going to change" Tina replied, taking hold of the brunettes hand and rubbing it with her thumb.

"Exactly. I know you almost as well as I know myself. I can read you like a book. And it's all in your eyes T. And when I see you talk about Henry, about the wedding, there's something missing. You don't get that sparkle in your eyes like you do when you talk about something you're excited about. You don't get that same smile with him that you do when you're truly, truly happy. Maybe you did at the start, but it's been so long that that's just a distant memory. I just want you to be happy, and when I see that he doesn't make you as happy as you can be, it makes me sad. I miss that smile T, the one that can light up a room. And I know it's still there 'cause it comes out occasionally when you're with me and the girls. But I've never ever seen it when you're around Henry"

"Wow…" Tina breathed "is that everything?"

The brunette shook her head "No there's more, and I have to get it out before I lose my nerve"

"Go ahead…"

By now tears were spilling down the brunette's cheeks. Tina reached up to wipe them away, feeling tears of her own threatening to fall, but she knew she had to hear her best friend out.

"You're such an incredible person…" Bette started, trying to keep control of her emotions "you really are T, and I know you think I have you on some pedestal, but if I do it's only 'cause you deserve it. You make everybody smile, you put other people before yourself, and you are always always there for people when they need you. And you deserve someone who treats you as well as you treat other people. And Henry…he takes you for granted T. He tries to buy you off with gifts, tries to cover up the fact that he's still stuck in the dark ages and thinks that a woman should be there just to run his household. It's like his gifts are some grand gesture T, but they're not. A true grand gesture takes time, takes thought, takes love. Not just money. He pretends to listen to your opinion, but never really takes it on board. He's always right, it's his way or no way, his life is more important than yours. He judges people, my god, he thinks me and the girls are scum just because of our sexuality. And I know that you'll never turn your back on us, no matter how hard he tries, but do you really want to be having that fight for the rest of your life? I get that this is your decision, it's your life, and maybe I've overstepped the mark, but I just want the best for you. I love you so much and I don't want you to settle for him when there's so much better out there for you"

Bette dropped her head as she finished speaking, unable to look her best friend in the eye.

"I…I knew you didn't like him…but I never…I never knew you felt so strongly"

The brunette just nodded, trying to wipe away the tears that were flowing freely down her face.

"Look at me Bette"

Slowly the brunette raised her head, afraid of what she might find in the blonde's eyes. Tina squeezed her hand in reassurance.

"I need some time to think…about everything you've said. But thank you, for being honest with me"

"I will always be honest with you T" the brunette whispered.

"You're the best friend a girl could ever have" the blonde said softly, as the tears finally spilled from her eyes.

"Hey, don't cry T"

Bette pulled the blonde into her chest and they cried together. Both women were utterly confused and exhausted by the situation that they found themselves in.

"You really think I could do better?" Tina asked, her head still pressed into the brunette's chest.

"I could certainly find you a nice girl who'd treat you like a queen" the brunette offered, only half joking.

The blonde laughed and lifted her head. Her laughter stopped the second their eyes met. For what felt like hours, the two women sat there, unable to break the stare.

Tina took a deep breath "I should probably go and…process this"

"You're welcome to stay if you want?"

"No…I think I need some time to myself. I already warned Henry I'd be sleeping in the spare room. Besides, you'll soon get sick of me when you're stuck with me for a fortnight"

"I could never get sick of you"

The blonde chuckled and stood up "We'll see about that"

Bette followed her to the door, the effects of the alcohol beginning to wear off and a headache starting to kick in.

"You take care T"

Tina stepped in and embraced her friend, once again feeling safe in the arms of the person she trusted most in the world.

"You too B" she whispered.

"I'll see you Saturday"

"Yeah you will" the blonde smiled "and Bette?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you too, don't you ever forget that"

The brunette could only smile and wave her best friend goodbye as she fought back the next flood of tears. As she closed the door, she had to prop herself up as she began to sob.


	5. Chapter 5

**15 days to go**

Bette Porter was miserable. The inevitable hangover that had followed her excessive drinking the night before showed no signs of abating, and she been kept late at work. She was finally in her car on the way home and her stomach was still churning. She had attempted to clear her pounding headache with painkillers, but to no avail. Well she thought to herself this is the price you pay for putting away half a bottle of Scotch on a week night.

But the worst pain of all that the brunette was feeling was the fact that she hadn't heard from Tina all day. She knew that her best friend needed time to digest everything that she had said to her the previous night, but considering the bachelorette party was scheduled for the following evening, she had expected some kind of response from the blonde by now.

She pulled into her drive and sighed. Making her way into the house, she felt like she was literally having to drag her body around. She pulled a face when she was greeted by the sight of the half empty Scotch bottle on the living room table, and quickly put it away in the drinks cabinet. A couple of slices of toast was all she could face for her dinner, so once it was on a plate she poured herself a large glass of water and made her way over to the sofa. She turned on the tv, but couldn't really focus on whatever was on the screen. No matter how hard she tried, and despite the throbbing behind her eyes, she couldn't seem to tear her mind from her best friend.

Almost as if her thoughts were heard across town, Bette's phone began to ring and she saw Tina's name appear on the screen.

"Hey T" she said as she picked the phone up.

"Hey Bette, how are you feeling?" the blonde asked, genuinely concerned for her best friend after the state that she had been in the night before.

"Like shit" the brunette replied honestly.

"Aww, you still suffering?"

"Yeah, I'm too old for this T"

Tina laughed "You've still got it"

"Well it certainly doesn't feel like it"

"Have you eaten properly?"

"…yes"

"Bette…" the blonde said knowingly.

"I'm having some toast. I don't think my stomach can handle anything else"

"Hmm ok, I suppose I can let you off"

"Thanks Mom"

"I've been making sure you eat properly for the past ten years, so I don't plan on changing any time soon"

"I know…I kind of like it…but don't tell anyone" the brunette admitted.

Tina had to laugh. If only the people at work could see how soft her best friend really was.

"T…I…I'm sorry if I stepped over the line last night" Bette said quietly.

"Don't ever be sorry for telling me how you feel"

"Ok"

"I know you've been worrying today…"

"I swear you have spies in my office"

"No, I just know you too well" the blonde pointed out.

"True" the brunette had to agree.

"Trust me, I haven't been able to think about anything else today. I just…god I don't know what I'm thinking about it all. It's too much…"

"You must be thinking something"

"All I'm thinking is that I have a wedding booked in two weeks"

"That's not an answer T"

"I know…and maybe I'm a coward, and maybe I'll lose your respect over this but…"

"You'll never lose my respect, I promise you" Bette said softly.

The blonde gave a small smile, almost as though her friend could see her "You'll never know how much that means to me. But the truth is…I'm too scared to change anything"

"Scared of who?"

"I don't know. Myself? Maybe you might be strong enough to just bite the bullet and make a life changing decision like that, but I'm just not"

The brunette looked at the floor "I'm not as brave as you think I am"

"Sure"

"I just don't see…T, do you really think that being too scared to change it is a good reason to get married?"

"It's not just that. There's so many things to be scared of. People's reactions, losing my life as I know it, wasting my chance. What if this is what I'm meant to do? What if Henry's the one? Everybody gets doubts, right? And if I called off this wedding, that would be it for us"

"These are more than your average doubts"

"But are they? I just don't know what to think B. And I can't take that risk. I just…I hope you can understand why I have to do this" the blonde said with a sigh.

Bette paused, a lump forming in her throat as she managed to speak in a whisper "I can understand"

"And you won't think any less of me?"

"Never"

"I don't know what I'd do without you" the blonde said honestly.

"Not have so many doubts put in your head?"

"You only did it 'cause you're looking out for me"

"I know, but still, I feel guilty…"

"Don't" Tina interrupted "you did the right thing"

"So we're good?"

"Course we are. So long as you can still handle a roommate for the next two weeks?"

"I'm looking forward to it"

"And so long as you promise to take care of me tomorrow night and not let Alice run riot"

Bette laughed "I always do T"

The brunette could hear Henry in the background and muffled sounds as Tina covered the receiver to speak to him briefly.

"I'm sorry B I'm gonna have to go" she said when she came back on the line.

"Everything ok?"

"Yeah the take aways just arrived"

"Oh ok" God forbid Henry ever cooked for you. Even I've cooked for you, and I can barely make a sandwich without something going wrong "Well I'll see you tomorrow yeah?"

"Yeah, come by whenever so you can settle yourself in before the girls get here"

"Ok will do. Night night"

"Night T"

As she hung up the phone, Bette let her head fall into her hands. It was really happening. Two weeks tomorrow she would be standing beside the love of her life as she married someone else.


	6. Chapter 6

**14 days to go**

The music was blaring as the usual Saturday night crowd started to filter into SheBar. Tina's bachelorette party had been in full swing for a couple of hours, starting with pre drinks at Bette's house. As always, Alice was the first to head to the bar and the others seemed to have no choice but to follow her lead.

"T?" Bette asked, taking her friend's arm as they trailed at the back of the group.

"Yeah?" the blonde turned to her, complete with an 'L' plate and sequin cowboy hat.

"Are you sure you're ok having your bachelorette party at a gay bar?"

"Of course. It's not look I'm on the pull, is it? Besides, I always have more fun here"

"Just remember, it's your night. Don't let Al tell you otherwise!"

Tina laughed "You're the boss Bette"

"Try telling Alice that"

"Come on, I think we need tequila" the blonde grinned, taking the brunette by the hand and pulling her towards the bar.

Two rounds of tequila later, the women finally bought long drinks and moved to a table in a more secluded area that had been reserved for them. There were high spirits amongst the group, of course partly as a result of the copious amounts of alcohol that had already been consumed.

"Ok T, now I know you said you didn't want anything too crazy tonight, but to keep Alice quiet I had to agree to us playing some games" Bette spoke up with an apologetic smile.

The blonde raised an eyebrow, and there were varying degrees of enthusiasm from the rest of the group to say the least.

"Come on guys, what good's a bachelorette party without some fun and games?" Alice tried to get her friends on board.

"I'm in" Shane was the first to agree.

"So long as you don't make me do anything embarrassing, I'll play" Dana agreed reluctantly.

Kit spoke up next "Just so long as you remember I'm sober baby girl"

"Guys?" Alice stared down the rest of her friends.

Reluctantly the rest of the women agreed, knowing that Alice wouldn't let up until they did.

"Ok, now I figured we could start with a game of I never"

Helena groaned "You know we're not at university any more Alice"

"Hush Peabody, you're playing, so listen up. I'll go first. I never got engaged"

There was a round of whoops as Tina took a swig of her beer "Ok my turn. I never went down on a girl"

Tina and Kit were the only ones not to drink, and they clinked glasses in mock celebration.

"You're missing out Tina" Shane offered with a chuckle.

"I'll go next" Carmen spoke up "I'm a little curious. I never kissed a girl"

She watched Kit, but the woman shook her head "Sorry baby girl, I'm a man only zone"

Out of the corner of her eye, the latino saw an unexpected partygoer taking a swig of her drink "Tina? When did you kiss a girl?"

"Has Tina never told you how she got together with Henry?" Alice exclaimed excitedly.

_The six friends were at a local club with most of their graduating class. Champagne had been flowing all day, and the students were letting their hair down after four years of hard work._

_Tina had managed to acquire a string of admirers that evening, and Bette was trying hard to avoid staring jealously at them. She was at the bar with Alice when her best friend came to join her._

_"Bette, I'm having the best time!" the blonde exclaimed, clearly intoxicated._

_"Looks like it"_

_"Come on B, some of the guys seem really nice"_

_"T, they just wanna get in your pants" the brunette retorted._

_"So what if they do? It's about time our Tina got a little somethin' somethin'!" Alice piped up, earning herself a glare from Bette._

_"I'm just having fun!" Tina protested._

_"Hey Tina, you know what really gets the guys going?" Alice continued._

_"Nooo"_

_Bette stared at her eccentric friend suspiciously, never quite knowing what Alice was going to come out with next._

_"Seeing you kiss another girl"_

_"Al, I'm not kissing you" the blonde said witheringly._

_"How about Porter then?"_

_"Al, T's not gonna kiss me" Bette protested, slightly uncomfortable with where this was going._

_Tina raised her eyebrows "You think I wouldn't?"_

_"No T…"_

_The brunette was interrupted by her best friend grabbing hold of the back of her neck and crashing their lips together. There was no hesitancy in the kiss, but the brunette felt that she had to hold back, letting the blonde take the lead. Their tongues brushed against one another and Bette had to hold back a moan, knowing that the kiss wasn't really for her benefit._

_All too soon she felt the blonde's lips separate from hers and she opened her eyes, desperately hoping that her expression wouldn't give away how she was really feeling._

_"Woo go TK!" Alice yelped, destroying the moment "I never knew you had it in you"_

_"You underestimate me Al" Tina retorted, sticking her tongue out._

_"So how was she Porter?"_

_"Huh?" the brunette shook herself, trying to push aside thoughts of the kiss that had just happened._

_"Is Miss TK here a good kisser?"_

_Bette raised an eyebrow "I'm not even gonna dignify that with a response Al"_

_"Hi there"_

_The women turned to see that a well built man had approached them, or more specifically, approached Tina._

_"Hi!" the blonde smiled._

_"I couldn't help but notice you from over there. You think I could buy you a drink?"_

_"Sure"_

"Are you serious?" Jenny asked "You met your future husband by kissing Bette?"

"Yeah, crazy isn't it" Tina replied with a wry smile.

"You never did answer my question Porter" Alice piped up.

"And I never will"

"Hey, was I that bad that you don't wanna embarrass me by telling people?" Tina teased.

"Oh, so you want me to tell?" Bette asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Go ahead Porter, do your worst" the blonde grinned.

"Hmm let me see…I suppose she was ok"

Tina raised an eyebrow. Even she knew she was better than ok.

The brunette rolled her eyes "Alright, I'll let you have your ego boost. Tina's a great kisser and Henry's a very lucky guy"

There was a chorus of Ahhs from round the table, with the exception of Shane, who tried and failed to make eye contact with Bette.

"So did any of the rest of you guys hook up in college?" Carmen asked, always interested to find out more about her girlfriend and her friend's history.

"That depends, do you count a kiss as a hook up?" Helena asked.

"Nah, we'd be here all night if we counted kisses" Shane sniggered.

Carmen rolled her eyes at her girlfriend. She was fully aware of Shane's past as a player, and it was never a problem for her. She actually found it quite amusing to hear stories about her past.

"Well you know me and Bette used to date" Alice spoke up, a story that she liked to tell regularly because she knew her friend preferred to forget it.

"For six weeks after orientation" Bette pointed out "I was clearly confused and trying to find a way to settle in"

"You know I really can't imagine you two having sex" Carmen mused.

"Carmen, please, I'd prefer not to vomit tonight" Bette protested.

"Hey!" Alice exclaimed "I'm pretty good in the sack, thank you very much"

"I wouldn't know, it was that unmemorable that I've forgotten it" the brunette teased.

"Bette…" Tina scolded "don't wind her up, you know she'll only get worse"

"Anyway" Alice said, glaring at Bette "Dana and I had a thing for a while too, but we decided we were better off as friends"

"You mean Dana decided" Helena pointed out.

"We're so not even going down that road" Shane held up her hand, immediately putting a stop to what could end up in Alice getting as emotional as she used to do back in the days following her and Dana's break up.

"Anyone else?" Jenny asked.

"Nah, apart from Al we all preferred to keep it out of the family" Helena replied, joining in with winding up her friend.

"Didn't stop you and Bette from sleeping with the same woman, did it?" Alice sneered.

"Ok ok I think we'll leave that conversation before drinks start getting thrown" Kit spoke up, ever the peacemaker.

"Here here" Shane agreed, tilting her beer bottle to Kit before taking a sip.

"Anyone fancy being upstaged by this old girl on the dancefloor?" Kit asked, standing up.

Most of the group took Kit up on her offer, leaving Bette, Tina, Shane and Helena at the table.

"You having a good time T?" Bette turned to her best friend.

"Yeah I really am" the blonde grinned "it's so good to have everyone together"

"You all ready for the big day?" Helena enquired.

"No" Tina sighed "but for tonight, I don't care. Tonight's about partying with my girls"

"What do you say we really get the party going while the lightweights are off dancing?" Shane suggested with a twinkle in her eye.

Bette looked at her and smiled "You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Uh uh. No way you two" Tina protested.

"Come on Tina, it's your night" Helena encouraged.

"Helena, you know what they're like when they get on one. We'll all end up carrying each other home"

"Good job you're staying with me then isn't it T? I hope you've been doing your bench presses 'cause I'm not as light as I used to be" Bette teased.

"You guys know I can't handle my licquor"

"Sorry TK, you're not pussying out tonight" Shane shrugged, getting to her feet.

Despite Tina's protestations, the four women made their way to the bar. With a wink at the barmaid Shane was able to immediately order a round of absinthe. It had been a ritual for the four of them since their university days. Although she was sure that the evil liquid would make her sick later, she was always secretly flattered that she was seen by her three friends as being a better drinker than Alice and Dana.

They picked up the shot glasses and toasted to Tina before letting the liquid burn it's way down their throats. As always, Bette, Shane and Helena tried to keep a straight face, an almost macho ritual that they'd never grown out of. Tina, on the other hand, made no such pretences. She screwed up her face and coughed, fanning her hand as she tried to keep the alcohol down.

"Aww" Bette turned to her, only half teasing as she rubbed her best friends back "you still not used to it?"

Tina shook her head vehemently "And I hope I never will be"

"So you don't want another one then?" Shane grinned.

"Don't you dare" the blonde warned.

"You want a beer instead?" Helena offered.

Tina smiled gratefully. The British woman paid for four beers and the friends leant against the bar, observing the dancefloor as they sipped their drinks.

"Wow Porter, your sister's still got it!" Shane said, impressed by Kit's moves.

"What do you expect, she's a Porter!" Bette smirked.

"Do you think Alice has any idea what she looks like?" Helena mused.

"God knows" Shane shrugged "she's probably proud of…is that the funky chicken?"

"Oh god" Tina groaned "we're not going over until she stops that"

"Hey Shane" Bette nudged her friend "your girl's giving Kit a run for her money"

"Hell yeah she is" Shane pursed her lips, shamelessly staring at Carmen as she shook her hips on the dancefloor "sorry ladies, but you know I can't resist her when she dances like that"

The three friends waved Shane off, fully understanding why she felt the need to go to her girlfriend. The latina woman definitely had the moves, and was often the centre of attention in a club. She was more than a match for Shane, and it was why they worked so well.

It was always amusing to stand back and watch their friends on the dancefloor. Aside from Carmen and Kit, who's background in music gave her a natural rhythm, the rest of their friends were an interesting sight to say the least. Dana was exceptionally shy, but after a few drinks came out of her shell and began to let herself get carried away with the music. Alice was now jumping around excitedly, trying to be the centre of attention as always. And then there was Jenny, who was away in her own world. She seemed to drift around the dancefloor, not really aware of what was going on around her.

"I'm gonna have to go make fun of Alice some more" Helena spoke up "you guys coming?"

The two best friends looked at each other.

"It's up to you T"

"I'm happy to watch a little longer. My stomach still doesn't feel right from that absinthe"

Helena shrugged "No problem"

The two women stood side by side as they watched their friend gracefully make her way across the room. No matter how much alcohol she consumed, the British woman always seemed to keep herself together.

"You still suffering?" the brunette asked.

"A little…you know me and absinthe"

Bette laughed "Too right I do. How many times have I had to put you to bed over the years?"

The blonde groaned "Waaaaayyy too many times"

"So you won't be wanting a round of absinthe at the wedding reception then?"

"You even think about it and you're uninvited" Tina warned sternly.

"Aww you'd really go without your maid of honour?"

"I won't be needing anybody if I'm throwing my guts up"

The brunette chuckled, putting an arm round her friend's shoulders. She smiled as she felt the blonde respond by hooking an arm round her waist. They leant against each other and watched their friends in a comfortable silence, occasionally laughing out loud at the same time as they instinctively knew which of the group the other was looking at.

"Bette?" Tina said softly, turning so that she was stood in front of her best friend.

"Yeah?"

"I just wanted to say thank you for tonight. It's been perfect"

"It was no trouble T, honestly"

"Still, I'm grateful you kept Alice's ideas under control"

The blonde leant up and gave Bette a peck on the lips. She stood there for a moment, biting her lip as if in deep concentration. Smiling shyly, she leant up again and pressed her mouth to the brunette's, this time not breaking the contact. She cupped Bette's cheek, slowly moving her lips to kiss her gently. The brunette exhaled through her nose, her breath tickling the blonde's cheek. She couldn't help but tangle a hand into the tussled blonde hair, revelling in the exquisite feeling of Tina's lips moving against hers. Feeling the wetness of the blonde's tongue flicking tentatively against her top lip, she slowly opened her mouth, moaning as the kiss deepened. The pace was excruciatingly slow, yet was the most intense kiss that the brunette had ever experienced.

Their tongues brushed together, teasing each other as their bodies pressed together. Bette felt the blonde's hand squeezing her hip and she desperately willed herself to stay in control of her feelings. Their breathing grew heavy and they were forced to separate their mouths, planting repeated lingering kisses on one another's lips as they struggled to resist each other.

It was Tina who prevented any further kisses by tilting her head downwards, letting it rest in the crook of the brunette's neck. Bette could hear her best friend breathing heavily and stroked her back, attempting to reassure her as she knew that in that moment the blonde's mind would be running into overdrive.

"Guys!"

The moment was ruined by an excited Alice bounding over to them. Tina remained in contact with the brunette's body, but lifted her head to see what her friend wanted.

"The strippers are about to start, come on!"

"Strippers?! I thought I said nothing crazy!" Tina looked between her two friends.

"Nothing to do with me" Bette shrugged her shoulders.

"But I didn't plan it TK, they're just booked by the club for the night. Come on, they're all female so it's not like Henry can get mad or anything"

"Ok" Tina agreed reluctantly, stepping away from the brunette "You coming Bette?"

"Err…I…"

"No way Porter, you're not missing this. I hear they're the hottest girls in WeHo"Not a chance thought Bette the hottest girl in WeHo is the one that you so rudely interrupted my moment with.

And so it was that a begrudging Bette and Tina were led away from the comfort of one another's bodies at the bar and dragged into the middle of what was practically a pack of lions, waiting to pounce on the young women who were to provide the entertainment for the night.

Bette had to admit that she enjoyed the show. Despite her feelings for Tina, she was only human, and couldn't help but appreciate the attractive scantily clad women on the stage. When the performance was over she knew that she had no choice but to stay and dance, and try to just let herself enjoy the time with her friends. But she couldn't help but steal glances at the blonde, wanting desperately to make eye contact but never succeeding. Tina had been swept away by Alice and was being forced into joining in some kind of crazy dance routine.

The brunette wanted a chance to speak with the blonde but it was seeming more and more unlikely as the night wore on. Every time she thought she might get a moment with her, one of their other friend's would approach them with a drink or to take Tina away to dance.

As the night drew to a close, several members of the group had already called it a night and gone home. As per usual, Dana had used the excuse of getting Alice home safely to allow herself to leave early without getting any stick from her friends. Kit, a teetotaller had also not made it until the end. Jenny was still present in body, but judging by her position slumped over a table in the corner, her mind was definitely elsewhere. Having always been the ones to handle their alcohol, Bette, Helena and Shane were still standing, with Carmen only being slightly propped up by her girlfriend. They waited for Tina to emerge from the bathroom, agreeing that they would give her two more minutes before going in to check that she was ok. Thankfully they didn't have to resort to that, as she soon emerged, staggering noticeably as she made her way to her waiting friends.

"Hey guyssss" she slurred, instinctively leaning against Bette for support.

"How ya doing TK?" Shane asked, smiling kindly at her friend.

"I'm goooood. I think I may have a had…a bit too much to drink though"

"Well that's the prerogative of the bride to be" Helena prodded her.

"You reckon I should get you home T?" Bette asked her best friend gently.

"Yeaaaahhh. You're the besssst B"

The women laughed and headed for the exit, Shane collecting her roommate under her other arm as they left the club. As it was closing time, there were plenty of cabs and so having said goodbye to their friends, Bette and Tina flagged one down and set off for the brunette's house.

"You feeling ok?" she asked the blonde who had her head rested on the brunette's shoulder.

There was no reply, and when she looked down she realised that Tina had already fallen asleep. There would be no further conversations tonight.


	7. Chapter 7

**13 days to go **

Bette rolled over in bed to peer at her alarm clock. She squinted, her eyes adjusting to the light as she made out the time. 11.37am. She groaned inwardly, waking up with a blinding headache for the second day out of three. Looking to her other side she had to smile at the sight of her best friend. Tina was still dressed in her outfit from the night before, laying on her back with her mouth open slightly. A light snore would come from her every so often, causing the brunette to chuckle. Despite her regular protestations, the blonde had a habit of snoring when drunk. It wasn't obtrusive, and in fact seemed to relax Bette with it's regular rhythm.

Needing rehydration, the brunette got up and pulled on her robe. She headed to the kitchen and poured herself a large glass of water, popping two painkillers from the packet that she kept in the cupboard above the sink. Swallowing the pills, she popped out two more and took them and an extra glass of water through to the bedroom to leave on the side for Tina. She couldn't help but stand and watch the blonde sleep for a moment. Even when she had been a complete drunken state the night before, somehow she always managed to look beautiful. Leaning down, the brunette kissed her best friend softly on the forehead and then left her to sleep in peace.

She settled herself down on the sofa, draining most of her glass of water in one go. Turning on the television, she switched the volume down so as not to wake the blonde and let some soap reruns provide background noise to her thoughts. She had been unable to take her mind off of her kiss with Tina ever since it had happened. Even in her sleep, her dreams had been filled with the blonde, replaying the moment that their lips met over and over again.

She brought her fingers to her mouth, closing her eyes as she took herself back to that moment. The initial shock of the contact had sent shivers through her body. And in an instant the blonde had her melting, unable to focus on anything other than how she felt in her arms. The kisses from all those years ago that had haunted her yet aroused her for so many years had finally been replaced. And although the kisses from college remained as vivid in her mind as the day that they happened, the kiss from the night before was simply overwhelming. She had felt more in that kiss than she ever had before. And it terrified and excited her at the same time. But once again she was left with the same scenario as all those years ago. What to say to Tina.

An hour went by as the brunette replayed the kiss over and over in her head, trying to analyse every movement that the blonde had made. There was no doubt in her mind that Tina had kissed her first, but still she didn't know what that meant. The same fears that she had expressed to Shane the previous weekend resurfaced. If only they had had a moment when they were sober, then maybe they could talk about it. But once again the blonde had been so intoxicated that there was a chance that she wouldn't remember her actions the next day.

Her overworked mind was growing weary, and she drifted into a light sleep.

Shortly after 1pm the bedroom door creaked open and the blonde shuffled into the living room, clutching a glass of water.

"Bette?" she croaked.

"Huh?" the brunette stirred, lifting up on her elbows.

"I feel terrible"

Bette rubbed her eyes "Did you find the painkillers I left you?"

"Yeah, thanks B"

The blonde walked over to the sofa and clambered on, curling up against the brunette with her head on her chest. Instinctively, Bette moved her hand to the blonde's head, stroking her hair gently.

"I am never letting Shane buy me a drink again" the blonde groaned, her eyes shut as she relaxed into the brunette.

"After all these years you still can't handle the absinthe huh?"

Tina gagged "Even hearing the name makes me want to vomit"

"So no more drinking for a while then?"

"How many times have I said that?"

The brunette laughed "Probably every weekend at college"

"How is that you look so put together? Surely you must have drunk as much as I did?"

"I'm sure I did T. And trust me, I'm not feeling too good right now either. But I always could handle my drink better than you" Bette pointed out.

"Ughh. When will I learn my lesson?"

"Hopefully never. You're fun when you're drunk"

"Oh, so I'm not fun normally?"

"Hmm" the brunette pretended to consider it "nope, definitely more fun when you're drunk"

The blonde swatter her best friend's thigh "Bitch"

"If only you could see yourself, you'd agree with me"

"Oh god…tell me I didn't make a fool out of myself?"

"T, with Alice around, you never have to worry about the one who ends up looking like a fool"

"But did I do anything stupid?"

The blonde tilted her head upwards and the brunette couldn't help but meet her eyes. She gulped. The longer she remained silent, the more serious the moment seemed to become.

"Err…not stupid exactly…T…I dunno…you…"

The brunette was rudely interrupted by a loud ringing sound.

"Shit…my phone…" Tina sat up "I have no idea where my bag is"

"It's down here" Bette offered, reaching over to retrieve the handbag that she had left by the side of the sofa when they had got in last night.

The blonde fished out her phone before it finished ringing and pressed the button to answer the call "Hello?…..Oh hey babe….Yeah I had an awesome night"

The second the brunette heard Tina say 'babe' her heart sank. The word that usually gave her tingles made her feel physically sick when she knew it was being directed to Henry.

"Sorry" the blonde mouthed, apologising for interrupting their conversation.

Bette lay back on the sofa, trying to block out the blonde's conversation with her fiance, as though she could just wish him away. However, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't really block out Tina's side of the conversation.

"….yeah, suffering big time….Bette looks perfect as always, whereas I'm beginning to wonder whether I fell into a dustbin on the way home….no, no-one made me drink anything….yes, I'm aware that I can say no…" the blonde rolled her eyes, earning herself a smile from her best friend "oh you did huh?…..I'm sure they did…babe it honestly doesn't bother me….I promise…..ok well I'm gonna go, it's hurting my head to talk on the phone right now….yeah course…you too, bye"

"What doesn't bother you?" Bette asked curiously after a pause, wanting to know what Henry had been up to now.

"Apparently the guys took him to some strip joint for his bachelor party"

"Were you expecting anything less?"

"No" the blonde laughed "and I'm seriously not bothered by it, he can look all he wants"

"Well I guess you don't have to feel guilty about perving on the strippers last night then?" the brunette teased.

"There were strippers?!"

"You don't remember the strippers?" Bette fired back.

The blonde closed her eyes, her forehead wrinkling as she tried to remember the night before. Something about a naked woman on stage was ringing a bell with her, but when you factored in her thumping headache, her memory was hazy to say the least.

"Well I'll believe you when you tell me they were there, but I most definitely wouldn't have been perving on them"

"Whatever you say T" the brunette laughed.

"Was I really?"

"Worse than half the lesbians"

"Well maybe I'm just learning some moves for my wedding night"

Bette coughed heavily to hide her disgust at the last comment. The wedding night was something that she had tried to force from her mind and she certainly had no intention of picturing it now, no matter how sexy the blonde would look pulling off some of the stripper's moves.

"Sorry B, you were gonna say something before Henry called?"

"Erm…" the brunette grew flushed "so last night…"

Once again Bette was cut off by a ringing sound, this time coming from the doorbell. She groaned.

"Are you expecting someone?" the blonde asked.

"No" the brunette practically growled.

"Please get rid of them, I don't want people seeing me like this"

"You look gorgeous as always, but don't worry I don't feel like company either"

Begrudgingly the brunette got up, disappointed to have to separate her body from Tina's. She opened the door and her heart sank.

"Porter!" came Alice's shrill shriek.

"I'm really really sorry" apologised an embarrassed looking Dana from behind her friend "I said we should have called"

"Whatever Dane, Porter's always glad to see us"

"That's what you think" Bette muttered under her breath.

Ignoring her, Alice continued "Anyway, we brought hangover food so you have to let us in"

Bette sighed. She couldn't see a way out of this one.

"I guess you'd better come in then" she said reluctantly.

"Hey TK!" Alice exclaimed, making her way to the sofa and plonking herself down next to Tina.

"Hey Al" the blonde replied, raising her eyebrows questioningly at Bette.

The brunette shrugged her shoulders and mouthed "What could I do?"

"Bette…I am really sorry. Just, well you know what she's like" Dana apologised again.

"Dana, I have no doubt that your unexpected arrival is entirely Alice's fault"

"I resent that Porter"

"And I don't give a shit"

"Why are you so perky anyway?" Tina turned to Alice, trying to defuse the tension between her two friends.

"No hangover"

"She's still drunk" Dana informed them.

"So, what food did you bring then Al?" Tina asked.

"Cheeseburgers and fries, full of grease to soak up the alcohol" Alice stated proudly.

"Is your stomach ready for food T?" Bette asked.

"I dunno, let me smell it"

Alice held up the bag of burgers for Tina to smell.

"Mmm yeah I could definitely eat" the blonde decided.

"I guess I'll get some plates then" Bette muttered, making her way to the kitchen.

"And I'm gonna put something more comfortable on" Tina added, getting to her feet.

"But the 'I wore this out last night' look is so in right now" Alice commented.

Tina didn't dignify her friend with a response, instead heading to Bette's room to put on some sweatpants and a tank top. She emerged as the burgers were being distributed and took a seat back next to Alice, determined to keep some distance between her and Bette. Much as they had friendly banter on normal days, a drunk Alice combined with a hungover Bette was a potentially disastrous combination.

"Mmm ok, food was definitely a good call" the blonde moaned, hungrily devouring her burger.

"See, I'm a genius" Alice gloated.

"I wouldn't go that far" Bette retorted.

"Porter, will you quit griping and eat your damn burger"

Bette just shook her head and continued to eat in silence. Normally she had slightly more patience with Alice, but her habit of interrupting vital moments had left the brunette on the verge of losing her temper.

"Anyone heard from the others this morning?" Tina asked.

"Yeah, Helena's still in bed and determined to stay there all day, Kit's at work and according to Jenny, Shane and Carmen were up for hours fucking so are unlikely to be seen for the rest of the day" Alice informed her.

"So you called everyone apart from us?" Bette deduced.

"Yep, because you guys get the special treatment. A personal visit is soooo much better than a phone call"

Bette raised her eyebrows, clearly holding a different opinion to her friend.

Thick skinned as always, Alice ignored her once again "So, a successful bachelorette party?"

"From what I can remember" Tina replied.

"That wasted huh?" Dana laughed.

"Hey, at least I made it to the end of the night" the blonde responding, nodding her head at Alice and Dana.

"Just about" Bette pointed out.

"Well I promise you TK, I'm gonna last all night at the reception"

"I'll believe that when I see it" Tina scoffed.

"AND I want a dance with the bride" Alice added.

Bette and Tina both raised an eyebrow.

"What? Just 'cause it's a hetero wedding the bride can't dance with her bridesmaid?"

Tina laughed "No, but you can join the queue"

"Behind who?!" Alice exclaimed.

"Bette gets first dibs" Tina informed her friend.

"After Henry" Bette added.

"After Henry" the blonde confirmed.

"But Porter's a boooooring dancer" Alice whined.

"Hey!" Bette protested "You know I can outdance you any day"

"She's right Al" Tina agreed "I'm not doing the funky chicken in my wedding dress"

"I have other moves" Alice scowled.

"Or the YMCA, Saturday Night Fever, the robot or any other such dance move"

Alice opened her mouth and shut it again, unable to come up with a response.

However, it wasn't long before Alice regained her voice and single handedly conducted the conversation for most of the afternoon. Instead of a recovery from her hangover, Bette felt her headache getting progressively worse. Despite her attempts to forget about the impending wedding, Alice's line of conversation never seemed to stray far from it. She had come to realise that the churning feeling in her stomach had little to do with the alcohol anymore, and was caused almost entirely by thoughts of the blonde walking down the aisle with Henry.

She tried her best to subtly persuade Alice to leave, but much to Dana's embarrassment, she never seemed to take the hint. Instead, the four friends ended up watching a movie that seemed to drag on for far too long for Bette's liking.

Half way through the movie, Alice got up to go to the bathroom. Having watched Tina toss and turn for the past hour, Bette was straight over to the sofa and sitting down next to the blonde. Tina patted the sofa behind her, encouraging the brunette to turn and put her legs on either side of her body. She settled back between her best friend's legs, immediately relaxing as their bodies moulded together.

When Alice returned to the room she folded her arms and stood at the end of the sofa.

"Seriously Porter, you'll be jumping in my grave next"

"No I think you misunderstand Al, I'll be jumping ON your grave"

"Oh whatever" Alice huffed and sat down in the chair that Bette had vacated "anyone would think that it was you two who were getting married"

"You're just jealous Al" Tina teased.

"Well, Bette can pull off a suit better than Henry" Dana piped up.

"Oh I could do a lot of things better than Henry" Bette couldn't resist adding.

Tina lifted her upper body, twisting to raise an eyebrow at her best friend.

"What?" the brunette asked innocently.

"Behave" the blonde warned.

When the movie finally finished it was dark outside and Bette could sense that the blonde was trying to stay awake.

"Right Al, I really think we should get going" Dana stated "seeing as both these guys have to get up for work tomorrow"

"Don't remind me" Tina said with a yawn.

"How are you so tired, you only got up a few hours ago" Bette teased her.

"Ok ok we'll leave the happy couple to it" Alice reluctantly agreed.

Bette shot her a glare that no-one noticed, but was silently grateful to Dana for finally persuading Alice to leave. They let themselves out and when they were gone, the brunette wrapped her arms round the blonde's waist and kissed the top of her head.

"Shall we get you to bed then?" she said softly.

"Yeah…I'm sorry we never…" she paused to yawn "got to finish our chat"

"It's ok T, I've got two whole weeks to chat to you"

"Yeah you do" the blonde smiled.

The two women made their way into the bedroom. Although Bette had a guestroom, there was never any question of where Tina would sleep. Ever since college, they would both freely admit that they slept better when the other was there. Maybe it was more than most friends would do, but neither woman cared.

Tina unhooked her bra and slid it out from under her tank top, climbing onto the bed and getting under the covers.

"You cold T or are you just pleased to see me?" Bette teased, staring at the blonde's chest.

Tina looked down and saw that her nipples were protruding. She rolled her eyes at her best friend "Obviously my body's anticipating the fact that you're about to get naked"

Bette's heart skipped a beat "So you wanna perve on me like you perved on the strippers huh?"

The blonde raised an eyebrow.

"You know you like to stare T. So you reckon I could give them a run for their money?"

Tina appeared to be considering it "I reckon you've got a better body"

"Oh yeah?" the brunette breathed.

The blonde pursed her lips, her eyes fixed on Bette's as if challenging her. Never one to be shy about her body, the brunette untied the belt on her robe, slowly opening it. She slid it back off her shoulders, letting it fall to the floor. She was left standing in front the bed clad only in a bra and thong.

"So what do you think?" she asked cheekily, spinning round.

Bette knew that she was pushing it, but was fully aware of the effect that her body could have on people and she was desperately hoping that it would have the same effect on Tina.

"Hmmm" the blonde pondered "I don't remember the strippers keeping their bras on"

The brunette's eyebrows shot up "I thought you didn't remember the strippers" she recovered.

"Things are coming back to me"

Trying to hide the fact that her hands were shaking, the brunette reached behind herself to unhook her bra. She slid it slowly down her arms, letting it fall to the floor. Standing in just a thong, she found herself unusually nervous. True, her best friend had seen her completely naked plenty of times before, but this was different. She had never openly stared at her before, and definitely not with a smirk on her face.

"Yeah there's definitely a career in stripping for you if the art world doesn't work out" the blonde said with a grin.

"And just to think, the other day you were saying I should stick to my day job"

"A girl can change her mind, right?"

"Hmm I suppose"

"You getting in then?" Tina patted the empty side of the bed.

The brunette moved to her side and got in, unsure of what to do next. She lay still on her side as the blonde moved to her, adopting their usual position as she tangled their legs and let an arm hang loosely over her waist. Bette moved her hand to the blonde's hair, letting her tuck her head under her chin. She could feel Tina's breath against her neck and swallowed.

"T….I…."

"Sshh" the blonde looked up at her, placing a finger on the brunette's lips "can we just sleep?"

Bette nodded, unable to find her voice. She closed her eyes and held the blonde close, feeling the breathing against her neck gradually slow until she knew that Tina was asleep. Eventually she let herself relax fully, pushing all questions out of her mind to allow herself to finally fall into a deep sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

**12 days to go**

Bette looked at the clock and cursed. It was already gone 6pm and she was nowhere near finished with the report that was due in first thing in the morning. It was as if the gods were conspiring against her to prevent her having a serious conversation with Tina.

That morning she had awoken to find herself alone in bed. Apparently the blonde had an early start on set of the movie that she was currently producing, so there had been no discussion about the way she had encouraged the brunette to take her clothes off the night before. And still the kiss at the bachelorette party remained an unspoken subject between the two women.

A knock at her office door caused her to lift her head.

"Come in!"

Bette's assistant James peered his head around the door.

"Ms Porter, I'm going to head off for the night if that's ok with you?"

"Of course James, you should have gone ages ago"

"I didn't want you to be the only one picking up the flack with this report"

"Thanks James" she smiled "I'll see you in the morning"

"Yes Ms Porter. Goodnight"

She watched the door close and turned her attention back to her computer. She knew that she had to put all thoughts of Tina out of her mind for a while otherwise she would never get this report finished.

Tina walked into the Planet, looking around to make sure that it was an Alice free zone. She made her way to the counter to speak to the young woman that she found there.

"Hi, is Kit around?"

"Yeah I think she's out back. You want me to get her for you?"

"Yes please"

"Who shall I say it is?"

"Tina"

"Ok give me a sec"

The girl disappeared in the direction of the office and reappeared a few moments later, followed by Kit.

"Hey baby girl" Kit smiled "to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I was wondering if I could ask you a favour"

"Sure thing, you want a coffee?"

"Yeah a latte would be great"

"Grab a seat and I'll be right over"

The blonde took a seat at a vacant table and waited for Kit to come over with a latte and an ice tea.

"So what can I do for you Tina?" she asked.

"Well the thing is, obviously you know the wedding's next week, and well…I was so determined that I could do it without family after everything that's happened in the past, but just lately I've been thinking that I really don't want to walk down that aisle alone" Tina said hurriedly.

Kit was confused "Well that's great baby girl, but how can I help?"

"Kit, you've always been like a big sister to me and I…" the blonde took a deep breath "I was wondering if you would walk me down the aisle?"

A look of shock spread across the older woman's face, gradually turning into a massive grin "I would be honoured"

"Really?"

"Hell yeah. You're family Tina, and I'd love to be a part of your big day"

"Ok…ok…I'm so relieved" the blonde admitted.

"Oooh baby girl I'm gonna have to tell Bette, she's gonna be so excited!"

"Wait I…uh…"

Before Tina could stop her, Kit had jumped up and gone to fetch her phone from the office. Once she returned into view she was already talking into the handset.

"Shit" the blonde said to herself.

"….so now you don't get to be the only Porter playing a part at Miss TK's wedding. Give me a call back when you get this baby sis" Kit finished hanging up the phone.

Hurriedly Tina typed out a text message and sent it to Bette.

I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Kit before, I was just kinda nervous. Please don't be mad. Talk to you when you get home x

"So what do you say I get the girls in the kitchen to fix you up some dinner to take home to that sister of mine? I know she don't eat properly" Kit suggested.

"That would be great" the blonde half smiled, still nervous about how her best friend would react to the latest news.

Minutes later Bette noticed her phone flashing, indicating a message. She couldn't remember turning it to silent, but must have done when she was having a meeting earlier. Looking at the screen she saw that she had a text from Tina and a voicemail from Kit. As always, she checked Tina's message first.

She frowned as she read it, having no idea what her best friend was going on about. She figured that Kit's voicemail probably held the answer. As she listened to her sister's message her eyes widened.

"You fucking what?!" she yelled to an empty office as she threw down her phone.

She typed her name at the end of her open word document angrily, sending her report to her boss without caring to read it over. In that moment she cared about nothing except for finding out what the hell was going on with the blonde.

Driving home, she completely disregarded the speed limit and pulled into her drive, parking her car beside Tina's. She entered the house and was immediately searching for the blonde.

"Tina?" she called.

"Hey" the blonde emerged from the kitchen looking sheepish.

"You wanna tell me what's going on?"

"Let me bring out dinner and we'll talk ok"

"I'm not hungry"

Ignoring the brunette's last comment, Tina went back into the kitchen to retrieve two plates of food freshly prepared by the Planet's kitchen staff.

"Please eat something" she said, placing a plate in front of Bette.

The brunette began to play with her food "So you wanna tell me why you never mentioned that you were gonna ask Kit to walk you down the aisle?"

The blonde took a deep breath "It wasn't like I planned it as such"

"Don't bullshit me Tina, I know that you specifically went to the Planet to ask her"

"Ok, I did, but it was spur of the moment. I'd been thinking about it for a while, having someone walk me down the aisle, and today I finally decided that Kit was ideal"

"But yet you never mentioned it to me…"

"I'm sorry ok. I should have talked it through with you first. But it wasn't until today that I made my mind up"

"Yeah, you should have" Bette snarled.

"What is this about Bette? Are you mad because I'm muscling in on your sister?"

The brunette slammed down her fork "You really think that's what this is?"

"Well that's what it looks like"

"What it is, Tina, is that you fucking kiss me at your bachelorette party, you make me get into bed with you practically naked, and then you ask my fucking sister to walk you down the aisle at your wedding. That's what this fucking is" Bette stared straight into the blonde's eyes, her nostrils flaring.

Tina's eyes widened.

"So I did kiss you" she said softly.

"Yes Tina, you did. Again. So quit acting like you don't remember"

"I wasn't sure…I thought I remembered…but I was so drunk…I thought I might have dreamt it…and I was afraid to admit that I'd had a dream about kissing you" the blonde admitted.

"Oh trust me, it was real. It was real and it was the best fucking kiss I've ever had so you'd better god damn remember it!" the brunette yelled, getting to her feet and pushing over her chair.

Tina watched her best friend begin to pace up and down, her hands on her hips. She closed her eyes and sighed, more confused than ever. She had no idea what Bette was thinking right now and that scared her. It had been a very long time since the brunette had yelled at her, and even then it had been in a drunken stupor at college when Bette was yelling at everybody.

Slowly she got up and made her way to the brunette, who had her back to her.

"Bette" she said softly.

Bette turned hesitantly, afraid to meet the blonde's gaze. Tina stepped in, placing both hands around the back of the brunettes neck and resting their cheeks together. Bette let her hands rest on the blonde's hips, nervously awaiting her next words. She could feel tears welling in her eyes and she willed them to stay away.

"I remember ok….I remember" Tina soothed.

They rubbed their cheeks against one another and the blonde could feel the dampness of her best friend's tears.

"T…" the brunette whispered "I'm…I'm in love with you"

There was a pause but neither woman attempted to pull away from the embrace.

"Eight years Bette"

The blonde's voice was so quiet that it was barely audible.

"What?"

"You were meant to tell me that eight years ago"

Bette pulled back so that she could see the blonde's face.

"Are you kidding me?" she asked incredulously.

"I waited B. I waited and waited for you to tell me when you were sober, but you never did" it was Tina's turn to cry.

With a shaking hand, the brunette reached out to wipe away the tears that were falling down her best friend's face.

"I didn't think…you acted like you didn't remember"

"I was terrified B. You kissed a lot of girls in college. Hell, you slept with a lot of girls in college. And they never seemed to stick around. I was terrified that that was just what you said in the heat of the moment"

"T I could never ever do that to you"

Both women had tears streaming down their faces as they stared at one another.

"I waited and waited, and then eventually I just had to move on and stop waiting"

"Don't say that, please don't say that" the brunette begged.

"I was so confused, I didn't know what the hell I was feeling"

"And now?"

"I had to push those feelings aside and get on with my life. And that's what I'm doing. I'm marrying Henry"

"Please T, please don't marry him" Bette was shaking in desperation.

"I have to. Please try to understand"

"Do you still have feelings for me?"

"I'm getting married Bette"

"Answer the question"

"I don't know. I don't know what the fuck I feel"

"Then give me a chance, I swear you won't regret it"

"I…I can't" Tina choked.

The two women dissolved into sobs, collapsing against one another. Despite being the source of one another's pain, they needed each other to hold them up. It was a heartwrenching situation for both of them, and neither could see a way out. Their arms wrapped round each other as they clung on for dear life.

"Please don't leave me" the blonde whispered.

"You think I could even if I tried?"

"But…I can't be with you B"

The brunette was breaking, physically and mentally. She felt like the air was being sucked out of her lungs, like she was truly about to die.

"I…I can't stop being in love with you T. I've tried, I've tried so fucking hard"

"I can't let you go…I know I'm being fucking selfish…but I need you"

"I don't know what to do"

Pulling herself together, the blonde leaned back so that she could look at her best friend. She wiped the brunette's cheeks with her thumbs. She leant in and placed the lightest of kisses on Bette's cheek.

"We carry on. Because that's the only thing we can do"


	9. Chapter 9

**11 days to go**

_Hey, hows work going? x_

Bette read the text message and sighed. For all those years, messages from Tina had excited her, had given her butterflies. Now, it was something different. There was a hollow feeling in her stomach, but yet she couldn't tear herself away from her best friend. Despite her reservations, she immediately typed a response.

_Shitty. The board have been on my back all day about this report_

It was true, the board had been on her back all day. Considering the lack of attention that she had paid the document the night before, she had actually been fairly impressed when she had read it through that morning. But as usual the board weren't happy with the figures, and had complained to her repeatedly, despite the fact that she was simply reproducing the numbers given to her by her boss.

Her phone beeped again, and in spite of herself, she picked it up straight away.

_Will you be home for dinner? x_

She typed a quick reply.

_I doubt it, I need to stick around in case they want anything else going over_

She turned her attention back to the report and the amendments that had been requested. It took her about half an hour to complete and then she was finally able to hit submit and lean back in her chair. Now it was just a waiting game. She wasn't sure what kind of response she was hoping for from the board. If they approved it, she could finally go home. But going home would mean facing Tina. And she wasn't sure if she could face that yet.

A knock came at the door.

"Come in"

The door opened and she had to remind herself not to smile when she saw the blonde standing there.

"Peace offering?" Tina said, holding up a paper bag bearing the name of Bette's favourite Chinese take away.

"I wasn't aware we were fighting"

"Well…not exactly…but you know what I mean" the blonde attempted to explain, closing the door behind her as she moved to sit in the chair on the other side of the brunette's desk.

"Is it…?"

"Chilli shredded beef and chicken chow mein? Of course"

The brunette couldn't help but smile "I guess I am a little hungry"

"Good, 'cause I bought plenty" Tina grinned back, pulling the cartons out of the bag.

Bette cleared some space on her desk and they both dug into the food. It was only once they were half way through that the brunette found the courage to speak.

"So how was your day?" she asked nervously.

"Actually pretty good. We look good to wrap on Friday so that's one less thing to worry about before the…well, you know"

"It's ok T, you can say it"

"I just didn't want to be insensitive"

"I have to accept that this wedding is gonna happen, and more than that, I'm gonna be a part of it"

"Bette, I'd understand if you couldn't, you know, after everything"

"I've been in love with you for nearly 9 years and I agreed to be your maid of honour. That's not gonna change just because you know about it now"

"You're a good person you know. One day you're gonna make some girl really really happy" the blonde said with a sad smile.

"T…" the brunette bit her lip and failed to prevent a tear from from trickling down her cheek.

"I'm sorry, please don't cry, I hate it when you cry" Tina reached out to lay her hand over the brunette's.

"Doesn't happen too often huh?"

"No…and I can't believe that I'm the reason that you're crying"

Their fingers intertwined and both of them stared at their clasped hands. It was Bette who looked up first and smiled shyly at her best friend.

"But you're also the reason I'm smiling"

"How can someone make you cry and smile at the same time?" the blonde asked softly.

The brunette stood and began to clear away the packaging from their dinner.

"That's love" she said quietly to herself.

When she looked back at Tina she knew that she had heard her by the look on her face. The blonde was biting her lip, her brow furrowed as she clearly fought some internal battle.

The sound of the telephone on Bette's desk ringing jolted them both out of the moment. Pulling herself together, the brunette picked up the receiver.

"Bette Porter's office…..yeah…ok that's fine….I'll have it to you within the hour but then I'm done for the night…..no, I can deal with that in the morning….goodbye"

Tina was staring at her as she slammed down the receiver "Back to the grindstone?"

"Yeah" the brunette said regretfully "why don't you head off home and I'll meet you there in an hour or so"

"They work you too hard"

"And I have an oversized pay packet to show for it"

"True"

The blonde leant over the desk and without thinking planted a kiss on Bette's lips.

"Sorry…I didn't mean to…"

"It's ok" the brunette reassured, squeezing her best friend's arm "I'll see you at home T"

"Yeah. See you later"

"Bye"

Exhaling deeply, the brunette sat back down to go over the figures for the umpteenth time.

When she finally walked through the door to the house, Bette was exhausted. She dropped her briefcase and immediately moved towards the sofa. Tina looked up at her, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"T" she whispered, pulling the blonde into her arms "what's going on?"

"I…I'm so confused Bette"

"About what?"

"You….Henry….everything…."

The brunette rubbed her best friend's arms and kissed her cheek "You wanna talk about it?"

"I don't know what the fuck I'm feeling, what I'm supposed to feel, what I'm supposed to do"

"Forget about what you're supposed to feel, you have to listen to your heart T"

"I can't hear it, it's so lost behind all these other crazy things that are going through my head and I'm so fucking confused"

It was now or never, Bette thought to herself. Knowing what it was like to become overwhelmed with thoughts and feelings, she knew of only one way that she had ever found her own clarity.

Using a finger to lift the blonde's chin, she slowly pressed her lips against Tina's, hearing her moan at the unexpected contact. Letting them linger for a moment, she pulled back to look at her best friend. The blonde's eyes were shut tightly and she licked her lips subconsciously.

Taking that as a signal, the brunette leant in again and reconnected their lips. She began to move her mouth, slowly letting her lips caress Tina's. After a few moments she felt the blonde responding, their mouths moving together as if they had been connecting for years. The brunette reached out her hands, tenderly cupping the blonde's cheeks. The tears were still spilling from Tina's eyes, but she reached up to take hold of the brunette's collar, losing herself in the kiss.

"Bette…" she murmured against the brunette's lips.

"Sshh"

"We shouldn't…"

"T" Bette breathed, her lips brushing against the blonde's as she spoke "stop thinking, and just feel"

The blonde whimpered and welcomed the brunette's mouth once again. With every kiss they gradually parted their lips, their tongues edging closer to each other. As they finally brushed against one another, neither women could hide their moans. They were rapidly losing control as they deepened the kiss.

Slowly Bette began to lean forwards, edging the blonde's body back until she was lying flat against the sofa. Never breaking the contact between their lips, the brunette positioned her body over Tina's, letting her hands run up and down her sides.

Their tongues danced together, entangling in a heavenly manner that left both woman gasping for breath.

"Fuck…T…."

"Bette….we have to stop…."

The brunette closed her eyes, holding herself up on her elbows as she rested her forehead against the blonde's.

"Do you want to?" Bette breathed, hoping for a negative response.

"No….yes…I don't know….god I'm so confused"

"And how about when I do this?"

The brunette leant down again, softly pressing her lips to Tina's. They kissed tenderly before Bette lifted her head again.

"I…I can't think when you do that"

"Maybe that's not such a bad thing"

"It is…Bette…this is wrong" the blonde said quietly.

She sat up, forcing the brunette to move as well. They sat side by side on the sofa, both lost momentarily in their own thoughts. Eventually Tina reached out to take the brunette's hand in hers, resting them both on her knee.

"I'm sorry. I know I'm being selfish and I honestly don't mean to keep giving mixed signals" she said, looking down at her lap.

"I understand what you're going through T. Trust me, I know what it's like to be confused" Bette responded, letting her thumb run over the back of the blonde's hand.

"But it's like I'm messing you around and I really don't mean to"

"All I ask is that you listen to your heart. Please T, can you do that for me?"

"I…I guess I have to try, right? But I don't want to hurt you anymore"

"Trust me T, I can't hurt anymore than I already am. And if there's a chance, even the slightest possibility, that you might be willing to give me a shot, then all that hurt will be worth it. Can you give me that?"

"I…I guess after all this I can hardly say I feel nothing can I?"

The brunette let out a deep breath that she had been holding "So there's a chance?"

"I honestly don't know"

"But that's not a no"

"It's not a no" the blonde confirmed.

"Then I can deal with that"

"Bette….do you think we could maybe go to bed? Just to sleep I mean….like old times"

"I think that'd be ok T"

The brunette led the way to the bedroom, replaying the kiss in her head. That night she went to bed with something she hadn't had in a long time. Hope.


	10. Chapter 10

**10 days to go**

Bette sat on a lounger in the back yard with a bottle of beer. Kit had come to keep her company for the evening as Tina had a night shoot, and was sat on a garden chair with her feet up and an ice tea in her hand.

"So what's troubling you baby sis?" the older Porter asked.

"Huh?" Bette looked up, clearly having been in a daydream.

"You got that look on your face, the one when something's bothering you"

"Have I?"

Kit gave her a withering look "There's no point trying to hide it from me. If you keep wrinkling your forehead like that those lines'll never go"

Bette sighed. Over the years her sister had learnt to read her in a way that only one other person could. The person who was the cause of her troubles.

"It's Tina" she softly, looking down at her beer bottle.

"I'm sensing maybe the maid of honour isn't as enthusiastic about the wedding as she should be"

Bette raised an eyebrow and looked at her sister "What makes you say that?"

"Bette, even a blind person could see how you feel about that girl"

The colour drained out of the younger Porter's face "It's that obvious?"

"Girl, you can pretend she's just a friend all you like, but no question, you've always seen her differently than the rest of those girls"

"Fuck" Bette breathed, running her fingers through her hair "so the others know?"

"Sure they do. But they've known for years. It's Bette and Tina. It's just the way you've always been. But 'cause you never said anything, we figured you'd dealt with your feelings and life would just go on"

"I've tried Kit, I really have"

"I don't doubt that baby girl. It must have taken a hell of a lot for you to stay so close to her for all these years and watch her with guys"

"I couldn't stay away"

"And now?"

"Now I don't know how the hell I'm gonna watch her get married to that jerk"

Kit had to hold back a laugh "Does she know?"

"Yeah" Bette whispered.

"And?"

"It's so fucked up Kit. If only I'd said something back then"

"Back when?"

"T and I…got a little carried away back in college, and I told her I was in love with her. She told me to tell her when we were sober. The next morning she…" Bette was fighting back tears "she seemed like she didn't remember, and so I…I never said anything. Why the fuck didn't I say anything?"

"What if I've really lost her to Henry, Kit? What if I never get another chance?"

"What's she said?"

"Not a lot. She's confused. Hell, we're both confused. But she kissed me. She kissed me at her bachelorette party. That has to mean something, right?" Bette looked up, her eyes begging for reassurance from her big sister "She says there are feelings there but she's pushed them aside for so long…what if she loved me then and she doesn't now? What if she got over me?"

"There's no way that girl doesn't love you back"

"You think?"

"I know. Bette, the way you look at her…sometimes, I catch her looking right back at you the same way"

"But how the hell do I make her realise?"

"Show her. Show her that you're the one she's meant to be with. That you're better than Henry. Spend every second that you can showing her exactly what she'll be missing if she chooses to stay with him"

"I'm trying Kit, but the wedding is in ten days. If I haven't made her see it in eight years, how the hell do I do it in ten days?" Bette threw her hands up in frustration.

"You gotta keep trying baby girl. But maybe there's another way"

"I'm listening"

"Show her how it feels to be you"

"What?" Bette asked, not quite understanding what her sister was suggesting.

"Make her see you with someone else. Jealously is a powerful emotion. And maybe just maybe it'll give her the kick that she needs to realise that you won't wait around for her forever"

"Or maybe it'll make her think that I'm over her too"

"You really think she'll believe that you got over her in a couple of days?"

"I guess not"

"Whatever you choose to do, you know I'll support you. But you're running out of time, and sometimes desperate times call for desperate measures. We both know that you should be the one waiting at the end of the aisle for Tina, not walking down in front of her"

"Woah, we're not even together and you've got us getting married?"

Kit laughed "I can only hope baby sis"

Unbeknownst to Bette, across town on the movie set, Tina too was having a heart to heart. They were taking a break from filming to sort out a problem with the lights, and Shane, who had finished her hair duties for the day, had called into the blonde's trailer before she left.

"Everything ok TK? You look more stressed than usual"

"Honestly? You got all night?"

Shane laughed "Hey, my nightowl tendencies have gotta come in handy sometime"

"My Mom called me this afternoon"

Shane raised her eyebrows "Jeez, it's been…what…"

"Five years" Tina informed her "five years ago she called me to tell me my Uncle Jack had died. My favourite Uncle and she never even bothered to tell me that he was sick until it was too late"

"What did she want this time?"

"Apparently she heard about the wedding. God knows how. And she says she regrets the fact that we've 'lost touch' as she put it, and wants to make amends"

"She wants to come to the wedding?!"

"I guess she always wanted to be the mother of the bride"

"And are you gonna let her?"

"I don't know, I really don't know. I need time to think about it. Time I really don't have"

There was a pause as Tina played with a pen that she had been holding.

"Is anything else bothering you?" Shane asked.

"Like what?" the blonde looked at her suspiciously.

"Oh I…err…" Shane stammered "I was just wondering if everything's ok with you staying at Bette's?"

"Why wouldn't it be?"

"Oh, no reason. I just…I want you to know that I'm here to talk to if you need me"

Tina had to smile at her friend "Thanks"

"Ok well…I guess I should head off…" Shane said, heading for the door.

"Shane"

The skinny woman turned back to face her friend.

"You're right there is something bothering me. But I think you know more than you're letting on"

"Hey" Shane held her hands up "guilty as charged, but you know that unlike some people, I keep my conversations confidential"

"I know, and I'd appreciate it if the same could be said about our conversation"

"It goes without saying"

"Ok…I'm just gonna come out and say it…" Tina said, taking a deep breath "Bette told me that she's in love with me"

Shane couldn't hide the smile on her face "And how do you feel about that?"

"Honestly? Shane I have no fucking idea. I'm gonna take a stab in the dark and guess that you know about what happened back in college…" the blonde waited for an affirmative nod from her friend before continuing "and back then I would have said yes, I would have jumped at the chance to be with her"

"So what's stopping you now?"

"I'm scared Shane. I'm scared to throw away what I've had for nearly seven years with Henry on just a chance. Because if I make the wrong choice, if it didn't work out…god, I can't even bear to think about it"

"So you'd rather you just didn't know?"

"Maybe…I mean maybe it's better not to know what I'm missing"

"And can you honestly say that you don't know what you're missing? I mean, you have kissed her right?"

Tina closed her eyes, remembering each of their kisses in turn "Yes. And don't get me wrong, kissing her was…wow…it was incredible…but if I don't let it go any further, then I won't know and it won't hurt so bad"

"You know you sound crazy right?"

"I know…I just want a way to keep her in my life without risking losing her"

"But what if you lose her anyway? What if it gets too painful for her to deal with?"

"Right now I can't even contemplate that. I couldn't cope if I lost her"

"I know you don't wanna hear this, but this isn't just about you Tina. Bette is heartbroken and her heart is breaking just a little bit more every day that your wedding gets closer. She loves you more than she loves herself, but it's not beyond the realms of possibility that it all gets too much for her and she has to walk away to save her own sanity"

Tina closed her eyes and sighed "I'm so screwed"

"You gotta sort this shit out once and for all TK, you gotta decide who you want"

"But how the hell do I do that? I mean, if I choose Bette, I can kiss goodbye to any chance of reconciling with my family"

"And you honestly want them in your life when they stopped talking to you because you hung out with lesbians? I don't mean to sound harsh Tina, but you've managed for years without them, and if they can't accept you for who they are, well then they're not worth having around"

"They're still my family Shane"

"I'm afraid family's not my strong point"

"I'm sorry"

"Hey, we're talking about you here. Now I want you to think for me. We both know that there are things that Bette can offer you that noone else can"

The blonde blushed.

"I wasn't even going down that road, but hey, yeah sex is one of them"

"Shane!"

"Sorry, but her reputation preceeds her. But seriously, there's a connection between you two that I've never seen between two people before. It's like you can read each other's minds. It's scary shit"

Tina laughed "Yeah, it even freaks me out sometimes"

"I want you to answer me this. What does Henry have to offer that Bette doesn't?"

The blonde paused to consider the question "A safe life. A normal life"

"Then that's your choice. Do you want the safe, normal, dare I say boring, life? Or do you want to take a chance on the woman who's kisses you say are incredible, the woman who might just be your soulmate?"

As her friend left the trailer, Tina slumped down into her chair and closed her eyes. There it was, laid out for her. The choice she had to make. The choice that would completely determine the direction of her future.


	11. Chapter 11

9 days to go

The dinner plates had long been washed and put away, and the two best friends were sat on the sofa sharing a bottle of wine, Tina having filled Bette in on the situation with her mother.

"I just…I guess I feel like I have all the family that I need in you guys. You're the ones who've never questioned me, who've always stuck by me. At the end of the day, she's still my Mom so I'm not gonna refuse to talk to her. But I'm not gonna let her dictate my happiness like she used to"

The brunette smiled "I'm really proud of you T"

There was a pause as both women sipped on their wine.

"Bette?"

The two women locked eyes and it was there again, the burning intensity that dominated every one of their glances.

"What do you think of as cheating?" the blonde asked thoughtfully.

"Why do you ask?"

"I just…I mean you know how much I hate cheating"

"I know"

Tina had been cheated on by a boyfriend and college and had vowed never to make someone else feel the way that she had.

"But I'm so confused…and I don't know how to work out what to do without having the chance to explore how I feel about you"

"So if I say I don't think of sex as cheating you'll sleep with me?" the brunette teased with a twinkle in her eye.

"Bette" Tina said sternly "if you told me you thought sex didn't count as cheating, then I wouldn't even consider being with you"

Bette took a deep breath "Ok…honestly…for me kissing and anything more than that is cheating"

The blonde nodded, deep in thought "I'm a terrible person"

"T…what are you asking of me?"

Tina looked up, pain and confusion evident in her eyes "Will you come and lay down with me?"

Smiling, the brunette took her hand and led her to the bedroom.

"I guess this is the point where I take my clothes off?" Bette asked, seeing her best friend nod shyly "unless you want to take them off for me?"

"No…because that would be cheating"

"It would?"

"Undressing a person that you're attracted to….yeah"

"I'll remember that" the brunette said, rolling her eyes at the logic of the blonde, but not complaining if it allowed for a moment between the two of them.

She slowly peeled her clothes off, and the blonde made no pretences about that fact that she was staring at her. Having shed the layers, she stood before Tina in a lacy white bra and matching underwear.

"Is this enough for you?" she asked, her voice lowering huskily.

The blonde swallowed and stepped towards her best friend. She wrapped her arms around her, letting her hands wander across her back as she revelled in the feeling of the brunette in her arms.

"I could never get enough" she whispered.

Bette's breath caught in her throat as she felt the blondes nails lightly scratching down her back. It was a weakness of hers and Tina had discovered it instantly.

"What are you doing?" the brunette breathed.

"Not cheating" TIna responded, trying to reassure herself more than anything.

She rested her forehead on the brunettes shoulder, looking down at her exquisite body as she brought her hands around to run up and down her sides.

"Teeeee" Bette hissed.

The combination of the blondes touch and the feeling of her breath against her collarbone was driving her crazy. She cupped Tina's cheeks tilting her head upwards so that she could lean down, moving her lips towards the blondes.

"No" the blonde shook her head "kissing is cheating, remember"

"Oh god" the brunette groaned "I want to kiss you so much"

Tina let her cheek rub against the brunettes and made her confession quietly in her ear "I want to kiss you too"

Torture. That was the only way Bette could describe it. Sweet torture, but torture all the same.

"Lay down with me" the blonde ordered softly.

In that moment, the brunette would have done anything that Tina asked of her. She made her way to the bed and lay down on her back, with the blonde next to her on her side, propped up on one elbow.

"Can I touch you?" Tina asked quietly, all of a sudden shy with the intensity of the moment.

The brunette looked over at her, trying to reassure with the love that showed in her eyes "I'm yours. I know you're not mine, but I'm yours and you can do anything you want"

A tear trickled down the blondes cheek. She lifted the brunettes hand to her mouth and planted a gentle kiss.

Placing Bette's hand back down on the bed, she reached out shakily to move the brunettes curls off of her face. She then slowly began to run her fingertips over her face, beginning with her forehead and tracing the arches of her eyebrows. Using her whole hand, she took in the shape of Bette's cheek, staring intently at each bit of skin that she touched. Her nose was next as she ran a fingertip along the length of it, travelling downwards to her lips.

The brunette whimpered and parted her lips, sliding out her tongue to try and make contact with the blondes finger as it traced the shape of her lips.

Tina shook her head "Be good"

She let her hand run down the brunette's neck, sliding around it, feeling how strong it was and trying to guess which spot she would have to kiss to make her knees go weak. As she reached her shoulders she flattened her hand and ran it over each one, massaging them with her thumb. She then trailed a finger over the shape of her collarbone, imagining doing the same thing with her tongue.

Her arms were next, and she ran her fingertips down each one in turn, seeing the brunette shiver. As she reached each hand, Bette would capture her fingers in hers, squeezing them to let her know just how much she was enjoying the attention. When her fingers returned to the brunettes collarbone, she stared intently at her bra clad breasts.

"You can touch them" Bette breathed.

"No" Tina whispered "I can't"

The brunette groaned. The frustration was killing her. It was taking ever ounce of inner strength that she had to prevent her from pulling the blonde on top of her, making her touch her. And deep inside she knew that Tina wouldn't resist, but she knew that she had to let the blonde set the boundaries.

The blondes eyes followed her finger as it trailed lightly down the valley between Bette's breasts. She bit her lip as she willed herself not to reach out and grab the soft mounds of flesh.

When her fingertip passed the bottom of the brunettes bra, she spread out her hand against her ribs. She began a slow zigzagging motion downwards, letting her hand take in the contours of the brunettes toned stomach. She could see the muscles twitching as she made contact, gradually moving downwards until her little finger brushed the top of her underwear. Leaving only two fingers in contact with Bette's skin, she moved her hand back and forth, tracing the lace barrier across from hip to hip.

"Oh my god" the brunette hissed, feeling herself flooding at the sensations that the blonde was creating.

The blonde let her fingers linger on Bette's left hip, stroking over the slightly protruding bone. Just the right amount to grip onto, she noted. Her fingertips crossed over the lace to the brunettes thigh, and once again she flattened out her hand, spreading her fingers to cover as much of the mocha skin as possible. She pressed down slightly, hearing the brunette whimper at the increased pressure. As she dragged her hand downwards, both women were painfully aware of her hand's proximity to the brunettes centre.

She passed over Bette's knee, continuing her downwards trail over her shin. When she reached her ankle, she wrapped her fingers around it, sliding her hand down over her foot. She circled her thumb on the ball of the brunettes foot, attempting the impossible task of releasing the pressure that she was feeling. She repeated the same motion on each of the brunettes toes, and even though Bette was ticklish, there was no laughing.

Sitting up so that she could reach over, the blonde moved her hand to take hold of the brunettes other foot. She wrapped her hand round it and began to slide it up and down, distracted temporarily by the moans that were coming from the brunettes mouth. She looked up and saw that Bette's eyes were shut tightly, her lips parted as she tried to controlled her breathing.

Her eyes focused back on the brunettes lower body as she adjusted her hand so that her thumb curled under to make contact with her calf. She slid it up tantalisingly slowly, pausing as the brunette twitched when she brushed her thumb against the sensitive spot behind her knee. As Bette's leg relaxed again she continued to move her way up it, ever so slowly bringing her thumb further and further up her inner thigh. The brunette shifted and parted her legs slightly, trying to tempt the blonde into giving her contact where she needed it the most.

But Tina was staying firm in her convictions. She knew she was crazy, she knew that this moment was the most intense that she had ever experienced in her life, and that in itself meant that it shouldn't be happening with someone who wasn't her fiance. But she also knew that she needed this, she needed to truly explore how she felt. And that meant exploring Bette. She also knew that the brunette needed something, but in that moment it was not something that she could give her with a clear conscience.

Her hand came to rest at the top of the brunettes thigh, her thumb curled round so that it was millimetres from her lace covered centre. She just stared between Bette's legs, trying to work out whether the material really was slightly darker at the point where she knew the brunettes entrance was, or whether that was just her imagination. She sat up on her knees and placed her other hand in a matching position on the brunettes other thigh, looking down in wonder at how perfect the tone of her skin looked against Bette's.

"Fuck" the brunette gasped.

She was trying not to squirm, trying to forget that just the slightest movement on her part would bring the blondes fingers into contact with her underwear. The feelings that she was experiencing were overwhelming, noone had ever touched her so tenderly before. And she had never imagined that something with no sexual contact could be so incredibly erotic. She was so wrapped up in the tingling of her body that she didn't even notice that a tear had trickled down her cheek.

But Tina noticed, and leant over the brunette to wipe away the tear.

"Bette?" the blonde asked tenderly.

They stared into one another's eyes, the rise and fall of both their chests unmistakenly demonstrating their state of arousal.

"I need you so much" the brunette confessed, feeling like Tina was staring into her soul.

The blonde sat back next to Bette, still looking into her eyes.

"Touch yourself" she said softly.

"What?" the brunette wrinkled her brow.

"I can't touch you like that….so I want you to touch yourself"

"Are you sure it's not…"

"No" the blonde cut in "if I'm not the one doing it, I'm not cheating. And I know how incredibly cruel this must have been for you so I want you to come"

"T it's ok" the brunette said gently, sitting up "I can control myself"

The blonde swallowed "I don't want you to. I want you to touch yourself….for me"

Bette looked into Tina's eyes, expecting to find the nervousness and uncertainty there that she so often found these days. Instead, she found a blazing stare of complete and utter arousal.

"Well just don't forget that I'm imagining it's you"

It was the blonde's turn to groan as she watched her best friend lie back down again. She scooted round so that she was cross legged on the bed facing Bette's side, making sure that she could see both her facial expressions and what she was doing with her hand.

The brunette slid her hand down her stomach and into her underwear.

"Fuck!" she gasped as she felt the pool of wetness between her legs.

"Are you wet?" the blonde whispered.

"Oh my god T" Bette's eyes fluttered open, her pupils dilated as she stared up at the blonde "you have no idea what you do to me"

"Show me" Tina breathed "show me how turned on you are by making yourself come"

The brunette whimpered, letting her fingertip circle her clit. She couldn't remember ever having felt it so hard. She bent her knees up, her legs apart as she continued to move her finger. The fact that Tina was watching her took her arousal to a whole other level, one that she could only have imagined she'd ever reach.

She found the most sensitive spot on her clit and pressed down on it, continuing to move her finger in a circular motion. Feeling the heat radiating from between her legs and rising through her body, she knew that she was getting close already. She managed to open her eyes and saw Tina staring intently between her legs at the point where her hand disappeared beneath her underwear.

The brunette began to rock her hips, rubbing furiously against her clit. She was panting and could hear heavy breathing coming from the blonde by her side.

"Fuck….ahhhh…..Tinaaaaaaaaaaaaaa"

Her back arched and her head flung back against the pillow as spasms took over her body. The blonde watched intently, holding back a moan of her own at the look of sheer pleasure that had taken over Bette's face. As the brunette's back came to rest back against the mattress, Tina leant over her with one arm on either side of her head. The brunette opened her eyes to look up at the blonde.

"You are so beautiful when you come" the blonde breathed.

Bette reached up to cup the blondes cheek "You…I…I've never felt anything like that before"

"Hold me?"

The brunette reached up and pulled the blonde down on top of her. Their bodies pressed against one another and Bette lifted her legs to wrap them around Tina's waist. She was holding onto the blonde with every ounce of strength in her body, determined to show her how well they fitted together.

"I'm sorry" the blonde whispered into the brunettes hair.

"What for T?" Bette asked softly, stroking the blondes lower back under her top.

"For being so confused. For not being able to give you everything you need. For pushing you and pulling you in so many different directions. I wish I had all the answers"

"So long as you stay true to your heart and keep talking to me, that's all I can ask"

"Don't let go" Tina whispered.

"Not ever"

The blonde wriggling down slightly so that her head was tucked into the crook of the brunettes neck. As they drifted off to sleep, Bette's legs relaxed from their vicelike grip on the blondes waist, but they stayed pressed together for the rest of the night.


	12. Chapter 12

8 days to go

It was finally Friday night and the girls had all gathered at the Planet when they finished work. There was no particular organisation to the gathering, people just simply arrived when they could and ordered some food whenever they felt like it. By around 7pm the gang had all arrived and were seated around their usual table.

"Soooo, how does everybody fancy a night on the town tomorrow?" Alice asked eagerly.

Shane and Carmen glanced at one another "We're in"

"So long as you don't let me drink as much as last weekend" Dana warned.

"Ditto" Helena added.

"I dunno guys, I've got so much to do with the wedding and all, I might have to give it a miss" Tina spoke up.

"TK you have to come, in a week you're gonna be boring and married, this is your last chance to have fun" Alice pushed her.

"I will not be boring Al" the blonde protested.

"Well I'm in" Bette said, refusing to look at Tina "I've got a lot of tension to let go of"

"See, even boring ol' Porter's coming" Alice told Tina "What else can you possibly have left to do?"

"I still need to buy my underwear set for the wedding night" the blonde explained.

A clanging sound rang around the table as Bette's fork dropped from her hand and fell onto her plate.

"Sorry" she mumbled.

"Well how about me and Porter come shopping with you on Sunday in return for you coming out tomorrow?" Alice offered.

"Excuse me?" Bette glared at Alice.

"You two are like attached at the hip, I assumed you'd wanna come" Alice replied with a shrug.

"I'm busy" Bette retorted, getting to her feet.

"Doing what?"

"Hanging myself" the brunette replied sarcastically "I'm going home, I'll see you tomorrow"

Without giving anyone a chance to say goodbye or try to persuade her to stay, Bette headed out of the Planet to her car and made her way home. Back inside most of the women were staring at the door that she had exited through in confusion.

"What's got her Calvin Klein knickers in a twist?" Alice mused.

"No idea" Shane responded dryly, staring directly at Tina.

The blonde blushed and looked away.

"Anyway TK, so what do you say me and you hit the stores on Sunday? You know I'll help you find the sexiest little number they got in Victoria's Secret"

"Yeah sounds good Al" Tina responded unenthusiastically.

"Great!" Alice clapped her hands together excitedly.

"Guys, I think I'm gonna head off" Tina got to her feet.

"You know you don't have to chase after Porter all the time" Alice told her.

"Leave it Al" Shane warned her before Tina could respond.

"Bye guys"

"Bye TK" they chorused.

The blonde's hands were shaking as she unlocked her car. She had never hated herself quite as much as she did in that moment. _How the fuck did I end up in this situation?_ she thought to herself _How did I get to a stage where no matter what I do I'm gonna completely destroy somebody I care about? The only question is, who do I cause that pain to? And what the fuck gives me the right to make that decision?_

She pulled up outside the house and took a deep breath, preparing herself for the onslaught that she knew was inevitable. She was pushing Bette to the limit and she knew that she deserved what was coming to her.

"Bette?" she called nervously as she entered the house.

She heard the slamming of a glass before the snarled response came "In the kitchen"

The blonde exhaled before trudging towards the kitchen with the walk of a condemned woman.

"Why did you leave like that?" she asked quietly.

"I hope you're fucking joking" the brunette replied, her back still to the blonde.

"Talk to me. Yell at me if you have to. Just don't shut me out"

Bette turned round and her eyes met the blonde's. Tina saw an anger flaring in the brunette's eyes that she wasn't sure she'd ever seen before.

"You want to know why I walked out?" she asked, her voice eerily calm all of a sudden.

The blonde nodded.

"Maybe it has something to do with last night"

"Tell me what's going on in your head"

"You really think you can handle hearing it?"

Tina took a deep breath "I think I have to"

"What's going through my head is what kind of person can share something with someone like we did last night and then start planning an underwear shopping trip for their future husband? Huh, T? What kind of a person does that?"

Tears were threatening to fall from the blonde's eyes but she knew she had to keep them back. It wasn't her that deserved to cry in that moment "I know, trust me, you don't have to tell me what a horrible person I am. I hate myself for what I'm doing to you. Both of you. I don't deserve anything from you and I can't for a second understand why you love me"

"Neither do I!" Bette raised her voice "Believe me Tina, if I could get myself out of this whole fucking situation, I would. If I could just turn off my feelings and give myself an easy life without a whole load of hurt, I would. But I can't. No matter what shit you pull, I still fucking love you!"

"Why?" the blonde was yelling as loudly as the brunette "I'm fucked up, I can't decide what I want, all I'm doing is hurting you!"

"Yeah, you're damn right you are! You're hurting everybody! Because you're fucking kidding yourself T, if you think that what happened between us wasn't cheating. If I had a girlfriend I'd rather she went out and fucked somebody than did what we did! I have never, ever felt a connection with anybody like that, but you, you seem to be able to just forget all about it and get back on with your wedding plans!"

The two women were leant against opposite counters, staring each other out.

"You think I've forgotten about last night for a second?! You honestly think that every time I close my eyes I don't see your face when you came?!" Tina hissed.

"Then how can you even contemplate going out shopping for god damn underwear for your fucking fiance?!"

"Because I have to Bette!"

"Why? Why the fuck do you have to?"

"Because I'm trying not to hurt Henry!"

"But it's ok to hurt me?"

"No! I don't want to hurt anyone, but all I'm doing is hurting everyone! I don't know what the fuck to do!"

"Stop thinking about everybody else and just make your fucking mind up Tina. What do you want?"

"I…I don't…"

The blonde was cut off by Bette launching herself at her from the other side of the kitchen. She crashed her lips down onto Tina's, her body pinning the blonde against the counter. Her tongue was immediately probing against the blonde's lips, seeking entrance to her mouth.

Tina moaned, unable to resist the brunette. She opened her mouth and welcomed Bette's warm tongue, feeling her hips pressing against hers. As their tongues danced together the brunette began to run her hands up and down the blonde's sides, making sure to make firm contact with the sides of her breasts.

The blonde whimpered as the brunette's hands squeezed, and she had no choice but to break the kiss to catch her breath. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back, her hands gripping tightly onto the side of the counter. Bette immediately latched onto her neck, nipping and sucking as she cupped the blonde's breasts.

"Bette…" the blonde murmured a hint of panic in her voice.

"I think" Bette whispered, continuing to plant kisses on the blonde's neck "that you know exactly what you want"

Tina swallowed, unwilling to admit the effect that the brunette was having on her.

"In fact" the brunette continued "I think you're scared of how much you want me"

The blonde found herself nodding despite her willpower.

The brunette's hands left Tina's breasts and moved down to her waist, unfastening her belt and pulling down her zipper. She placed a lingering kiss on the blonde's lips as she slid her hand slowly into her pants. She made sure that her fingers remained on the outside of the blonde's underwear, but there was no mistaking the wetness that was seeping through.

"Wow" Bette breathed "you definitely want me"

Tina's knuckles had turned white with the force that she was gripping the counter. She knew that it would take every last bit of her willpower to not let Bette take her there and then. She felt the brunette's fingers beginning to stroke over her underwear, putting pressure on her throbbing clit.

"Have you been this wet since you watched me come last night?" the brunette growled.

"Yes" the blonde replied honestly.

"Tell me you want me" Bette commanded.

"I do, B, I do…but not like this"

The brunette stilled her hand and moved her head from the blonde's neck so that she could look at her face. Tina opened her eyes to meet the brunette's piercing stare.

"I want to fuck you" Bette hissed.

The blonde took hold of the brunette's wrist and eased her hand from out of her pants.

"I don't think I can hide the fact that I want it too…but I can't let it happen like this babe"

"Why not?"

"Because…we just had a fight B, and you're still mad at me. God knows where my head is. I'm not having my first time with you end up being an angry fuck"

The brunette took hold of the blonde's hips and rested their foreheads together. She closed her eyes and sighed "You're right"

"I'm sorry"

A small smile crept over Bette's face "Does that mean there's gonna be a first time?"

"Don't ask me that" the blonde pleaded softly.

"I think I'd better wear clothes in bed tonight"

"I think it's for the best"

The minutes went past as they stood in the same position, neither one wanting to be the one to let go.

"Bette…we will get through this won't we?" the blonde asked quietly, the fear evidence in her voice.

"We have to…because I don't think I could live without you"

Tina slid a hand up and placed it over the brunette's chest where she knew her heart was "I couldn't live without you either"


	13. Chapter 13

**7 days to go**

Saturday night had arrived and at Alice's insistence, the women were all gathered at a local club. They had all agreed that they would try to drink a little less than they had the previous weekend, but nevertheless, there was no doubting the fact that they were up for a good time.

"So Porter, you sure I can't tempt you to join me and TK at Victoria's Secret tomorrow?" Alice asked.

"I've said I'm not coming Al"

"But you'll get to oogle Tina in sexy underwear"

Bette glared at her "In case you've forgotten, T is staying at my house. I don't need to go to a store to see her in her underwear"

Alice raised her eyebrows "Has our little TK been giving you some private shows?"

"Fuck off Al"

"Here" Shane shoved a bottle of beer into Alice's hand "maybe that'll keep you quiet"

Bette smiled at her friend gratefully.

"So Tina" Carmen turned to the blonde with a sweet smile "you gonna give your new hubby a bit of a show on your first night of married life?"

"I…errr….I hadn't really thought about it"

"Are you serious?" Alice yelped "When I get married, that'll be all I'll be thinking about!"

"And that's why no-one's ever going to marry you" Shane pointed out.

Enough was enough for Bette. There was no way she was going to sit here and listen to any more sickening questions about Tina's sex life with Henry. It was time for Plan B.

"Excuse me" she said, getting to her feet.

She strode confidently to the bar, having clocked a young woman with curly blonde hair and unmistakenly pert breasts who was standing alone. The rest of the group watched on as she introduced herself and immediately had the young woman in a fit of flirtatious giggles.

"Shit me, Porter's on the prowl" Alice exhaled "The ladies of WeHo better watch out"

"I haven't seen her like that in ages" Helena commented.

Tina's eyes narrowed as she grew increasingly uncomfortable at the scene that was unfolding before her.

"10 bucks says she takes that girl home tonight" Alice offered to the table.

"Pfff I'm not betting against you on that one" Helena scoffed.

"Ok, let's make it more interesting" Alice contemplated "Let's bet on how soon she takes her home. I give it an hour"

Saturday night had arrived and at Alice's insistence, the women were all gathered at a local club. They had all agreed that they would try to drink a little less than they had the previous weekend, but nevertheless, there was no doubting the fact that they were up for a good time.

"So Porter, you sure I can't tempt you to join me and TK at Victoria's Secret tomorrow?" Alice asked.

"I've said I'm not coming Al"

"But you'll get to oogle Tina in sexy underwear"

Bette glared at her "In case you've forgotten, T is staying at my house. I don't need to go to a store to see her in her underwear"

Alice raised her eyebrows "Has our little TK been giving you some private shows?"

"Fuck off Al"

"Here" Shane shoved a bottle of beer into Alice's hand "maybe that'll keep you quiet"

Bette smiled at her friend gratefully.

"So Tina" Carmen turned to the blonde with a sweet smile "you gonna give your new hubby a bit of a show on your first night of married life?"

"I…errr….I hadn't really thought about it"

"Are you serious?" Alice yelped "When I get married, that'll be all I'll be thinking about!"

"And that's why no-one's ever going to marry you" Shane pointed out.

Enough was enough for Bette. There was no way she was going to sit here and listen to any more sickening questions about Tina's sex life with Henry. It was time for Plan B.

"Excuse me" she said, getting to her feet.

She strode confidently to the bar, having clocked a young woman with curly blonde hair and unmistakenly pert breasts who was standing alone. The rest of the group watched on as she introduced herself and immediately had the young woman in a fit of flirtatious giggles.

"Shit me, Porter's on the prowl" Alice exhaled "The ladies of WeHo better watch out"

"I haven't seen her like that in ages" Helena commented.

Tina's eyes narrowed as she grew increasingly uncomfortable at the scene that was unfolding before her.

"10 bucks says she takes that girl home tonight" Alice offered to the table.

"Pfff I'm not betting against you on that one" Helena scoffed.

"Ok, let's make it more interesting" Alice contemplated "Let's bet on how soon she takes her home. I give it an hour"

"Tina, you don't smoke"

"I seem to be doing a lot of things that I don't do at the moment, and right now, I really feel like smoking"

Shane smiled and let the blonde have a drag of her cigarette, trying not to laugh as she watched her friend cough.

"Ok, so maybe I should stick to being a non-smoker" the blonde accepted, wrinkling her nose as she tried to rid her mouth of the taste of smoke.

They stood in silence for a few minutes as Shane smoked the rest of her cigarette.

"You know that little show in there is all for your benefit, don't you?" Shane said as she flicked the butt into an ashtray.

"Why is she doing this?"

"Oldest trick in the book my friend"

"You don't think she'll really take her home do you?"

"Honestly? Never underestimate Bette Porter when it comes to getting what she wants. She'll go to any lengths to get it, you know that"

"And how is fucking some whore gonna get me?"

"She knows exactly what she's doing. And clearly, it's working"

Tina watched as her friend headed back into the club "I'm so fucked"

Back inside an up tempo song was playing, and the group of friends were witnessing Bette Porter at her best. Her thigh was resting between the young girls legs and the blonde was grinding up and down on it. The brunette smirked to herself. She wasn't aroused by the situation, only Tina could do that to her, but it was always nice to give her ego a boost and know that she still had that power over women.

When Tina reentered the club she willed herself not to look at the dancefloor, but the curiousity was too great. As soon as she clocked Bette and the girl, she felt her stomach drop. And what killed her the most was the knowledge that she had the power to stop the whole thing. All it would take was one word from her, one move in the brunette's direction and the little performance would be over.

Ignoring the table full of her friends, she made her way to the bathroom to splash some cold water on her face. She had become flushed with the stress of seeing the woman that drove her crazy pressed up against another woman, and was trying and failing to clear the picture from her mind.

After a few minutes she managed to pull herself together and headed back out to rejoin her friends. She couldn't prevent herself from glancing over at the dancefloor, and her brow furrowed when she couldn't spot Bette.

"Where did Bette go?" she asked her friends, trying to sound casual.

"You just missed her, she left" Dana informed her.

"Did she…did she take that girl with her?"

Alice laughed "What do you think? I'll give it to her, she was even quicker than I thought!"

"I…I'm not feeling too good, I think I might call it a night" the blonde stammered.

"And where are you gonna go? I hardly think hearing Bette fucking is gonna make you feel any better" Alice pointed out.

Tina swallowed, trying to push away the burning sensation in her throat. She felt Shane pull her aside and she willed herself not to cry.

"Tina, you can't leave"

"Shane, I feel physically sick"

"So what are you gonna do, march in there and demand that she doesn't fuck her?"

"I don't know…I just know, I can't sit here and imagine what she's doing"

"TK, unless you can walk in there and give her the answers that she needs, then you're not going anywhere" Shane said seriously.

"So you want me to just stay here and let her fuck someone else?!"

"Bette's not yours. Until you call that wedding off, you have no right to ask her to do anything. Can you do that?"

Tina was silent.

"Well there's your answer. Bette's a single woman and I'm not letting you barge in there"

"Shane, it hurts, it physically hurts to think of her with someone else"

"Well maybe now you've got an idea of how Bette feels every time she thinks of you with Henry"

Tina ran a hand through her hair "I've really made a mess of this, haven't I?"

"It's not too late to sort it out. But until you can do that wholeheartedly, I'm not letting you dictate what Bette does"

"You're not letting me?"

"No Tina, I'm not. It's time you woke up and realised just how much she's hurting. I love you TK, please don't think that I don't, but I also can't just stand by and watch you mess her around"

"I guess I'm staying then"

"I guess you are. Can I get you a drink?"

"I think I need one"

The two women made their way to the bar and Tina did as she was told, staying for the rest of the evening until her friends were ready to leave. She wasn't good company, but she didn't care. It was all she could do to stop herself thinking about Bette for two seconds.

When Alice finally announced that she was ready to leave, Tina jumped at the chance. They got their coats and headed out of the door with Dana, leaving Shane, Carmen and Helena to enjoy the rest of the night.

"You wanna stay at mine TK?" Alice offered "I mean, we are going shopping, and you don't really wanna hear Porter getting a little somethin' somethin' do you?"

"It's fine Al, really. I'd rather just go back to Bette's. I'll pick you up in the morning though, yeah?"

"Ok, if you're sure!"

Tina confirmed that she was and got into a cab. She knew that logically she should stay at Alice's, but she had to find out what had gone on for herself or she knew she stood no chance of sleeping that night.

Turning the key in the door, she held her breath as she stepped into the house, listening out for signs that Bette had brought the girl home with her. There was nothing. Silence.

Oh god she thought what if they went back to her place? No, that was never Bette's style she reminded herself.

she thought she reminded herself.

She made her way slowly to Bette's bedroom, careful not to make any noise. Still hearing nothing from the room, she decided to take a chance and push the door open, afraid of what she might find behind it.

A wave of relief crashed over her when she saw a lone figure laying in the bed. Bette had her back to the door, but the blonde could see that her top half was covered only by a bra. She made her way to the bed and climbed under the covers, laying on her side so that she was staring at the back of the brunette's head.

"Did you have a good night?" came the brunette's voice in the darkness.

Tina was silent for a moment, startled by the fact that the brunette was still awake.

"Did you fuck her?" she asked quietly, not really wanting to hear the answer.

"Are you still going shopping tomorrow?" Bette fired back.

The blonde took a deep breath "Yes"

"Then you have no right to ask me that question"

"Bette…come on…"

Bette rolled over to look at the blonde "How does it feel Tina?"

There was no need for Tina to ask what she was referring to.

"Horrible" she admitted.

"Yeah, it does" the brunette said softly.

"Do you want me to leave?"

"No" Bette answered honestly.

The blonde reached out a hand and laid it flat against the mattress, knowing that it needed to be the brunette who initiated contact. Bette waited a minute before slowly inching her hand across the bed until it came into contact with the blonde's. She continued moving her hand until it was laid over Tina's and she intertwined their fingers.

"Goodnight T"

"Night Bette" the blonde answered sadly, not wanting to see the brunette's eyes close.

But tonight wasn't about what Tina wanted. And so she had to settle for the fact that she was the one who was in Bette's bed that night.


	14. Chapter 14

**6 days to go**

As she heard the front door shut, Bette sat up in bed. She had been pretending to be asleep for the last half an hour as Tina got ready for her shopping trip with Alice. She was sure that the blonde knew that she was awake, but when she had ignored her, Tina hadn't pushed it. There was no way that Bette was going to acknowledge her when she knew the purpose of her day out.

She got up and stretched before making her way to the bathroom for a much needed hot shower. As the scalding water cascaded over her naked body, she tried to cleanse all thoughts of Tina from her head. Easier said that done. The look on the blonde's face the night before was emblazened on her mind. Her plan had definitely worked. Tina had been completely unable to hide her jealousy at the sight of Bette with another woman. But still, still the blonde's resolve hadn't broken. She still hadn't said the words that the brunette needed to hear.

Having finished her shower, she walked naked through to the bedroom and stood in front of her closet. Despite her excuses to Alice, she had no plans for the day. She decided that some laps of the pool might clear her head and so pulled on a bikini. She made her way into the back yard and dived gracefully into the pool. Once she surfaced, she began to swim up and down the pool, performing elegant strokes that had been perfected over the years.

Meanwhile, across town, Tina wasn't exactly enthusiastic about the shopping trip. However, she kept a smile on her face to stop Alice from asking questions and proceeded to browse the underwear on display.

"Oooh what about this?" Alice ran excitedly to a display of underwear.

Alice was holding up a red underwear set with ribbons and fluffy balls hanging from it.

"No way Al" Tina wrinkled her nose "waaaay too tacky"

"Okaaaaay….this one?"

The next set was black PVC with holes cut out for the nipples and crotch.

"Al….just no"

"God, ok, this one?"

Alice held up a plain white underwear set.

"Too boring"

"Well, you're being boring TK"

"How about you just let me look and I'll ask your opinion?" Tina suggested.

"Fine" Alice huffed "I'll be browsing over here"

The blonde breathed a sigh of relief, glad to be free from Alice's suggestions for a while. The truth of the matter was, instead of wondering what Henry would think about the underwear on display, with every set that she looked at, her first thought was Would Bette like it?

Taking a deep breath, she began to browse the selections that were far more her style. She picked out a couple of sets and took them over to Alice, who couldn't seem to tear herself away from the leather selection.

"What do you think?"

The blonde held up two lacy sets, one in red and one in black.

"Oooh sexy TK" Alice nodded approvingly "are you gonna try them on?"

"Yes, but don't think that means you get to perve on me"

"Awww TK come on, why else do you think I came on this trip?" Alice joked.

Tina silenced her with a glare and made her way to the fitting room. She tried on both sets and admired herself in the mirror. Bette would definitely approve she thought to herself. Shit, no, Henry, Henry will approve. Oh fuck, who am I kidding. I want to look good for Bette.

She emerged from the fitting room a few minutes later, with both sets in hand.

"So?" Alice asked.

"They're perfect. Now I just gotta choose a colour"

"You could always get both, and let Bette make the final decision" Alice suggested.

Tina raised an eyebrow "What makes you think she'd do that?"

"Maid of honour duties and all that"

"Fine, I'll get both. It's been a while since I treated myself to some new underwear anyway" the blonde relented.

She made her purchases and they left the store, impressed with their efficiency.

"So, you wanna get a coffee?" Alice asked.

"I'm sorry Al, but I've got loads to do still so I'd better get back. But thanks for coming today, I really appreciate it"

"It's no trouble. Someone had to step into Porter's shoes"

Tina dropped Alice back at her apartment and made her way back to Bette's house. She pulled into the drive and carried her shopping bag into the house. She searched around for the brunette, unable to find her until she noticed that the backdoor was ajar.

She stepped out onto the patio and just stood admiring the brunette who was still swimming laps in the pool. Eventually Bette seemed to sense her presence, and she came to a halt in the shallow end.

"Hey" Tina called out shyly.

"Hey" Bette responded, wringing out her hair.

The blonde moved to the edge of the pool.

"Successful trip I see" the brunette said, nodding at the bag in the blonde's hand.

"I guess" the blonde shrugged.

Bette got out of the pool, trying to ignore the fact that the blonde was staring at the way her body moved in her tiny bikini.

"I'm going for a shower" she announced, walking past the blonde and into the house.

Tina could only stand and watch as the brunette passed her. This wasn't going quite as she planned. She made her way into the bedroom and waited for the brunette to emerge.

Once again Bette let the hot water wash over her body, trying not to picture the look on the blonde's face as she'd emerged from the water. She willed herself not to cry at the overwhelming pain that never seemed to go away. As she rinsed out her hair she tried to reassure herself. You're strong Bette she told herself you can deal with this, you can still be around her and not have to touch her.

She wrapped herself in a towel and stepped out of the bathroom. Her eyes widened at the sight that she found in her bedroom.

Tina was stood leaning back against the vanity, clad only in a lacy black bra and matching french knickers.

"Tina" the brunette whispered, a mix of arousal and sadness in her voice.

"Bette, come here"

"T…I can't. I can't stand here and look at you in underwear that you bought for him"

"This" the blonde said softly, walking towards the brunette "I bought this for you"

Bette just shook her head in confusion as the blonde approached her, stopping just in front of her.

"No-one else gets to see this but you" Tina breathed.

"I can't take this anymore T" the brunette said quietly, tears welling in her eyes.

Gently the blonde guided Bette back against the bed, making her sit down on the edge. She leant down and cupped the brunette's cheeks, placing a lingering kiss on her lips.

"I don't know how I'm gonna do this, but I have to. The whole time I was shopping, all I could think of was how you would look at me if I wore this. And when I truly look inside myself, I know that it's you that I can't live without. You and only you"

"What are you saying?"

"It has to be you Bette, I have to choose you"

"But Henry…"

"Forget about Henry. I…" the blonde took a deep breath "I'm gonna call off the wedding"

Slowly a smile crept onto the brunette's face, gradually spreading until it became a full on grin "You are?"

"I am" Tina confirmed.

"And right now?"

"Right now I need what I've been fighting for too long"

The brunette whimpered and pulled the blonde's body to her, resting her face against her chest. She began to cry and the blonde stroked her hair reassuringly. Tina knew that she would have to take the lead in this, and she reached behind her to remove the brunette's arms from around her waist. She took hold of Bette's hands and placed them over her lace covered breasts.

"T…" the brunette breathed against the blonde's chest.

"Touch me"

"Really? Can I really touch you?"

"You can really touch me" the blonde confirmed.

Bette lifted her head to look at her hands cupping the blonde's breasts. She began to squeeze them, enthralled by the way that the soft mounds of flesh fitted in her hands.

"You look so sexy in this" she moaned.

The blonde lifted the brunette's head once again and pressed their lips together. She felt the brunette continuing to massage her breasts and she opened her mouth to moan. Bette took advantage of this and slid her tongue into the blonde's mouth. All of a sudden the passion in the kiss intensified and their tongues were battling for dominance. This time, there was no going back.

The brunette could feel the blonde's nipples hardening beneath her bra and she needed to feel more. With the blonde's hands tangling in her hair as they continued to kiss hungrily, she reached around her body and unhooked her bra. She tugged it down the blonde's arms, and Tina moved them away from the brunette's hair temporarily to let the bra be cast aside.

Immediately both sets of hands moved back to where they were previously, only this time that meant that the brunette was able to grasp the blonde's naked breasts. She groaned into Tina's mouth as she filled her hands with them, caressing them and letting her thumbs brush over the nipples. It was the blonde who broke the kiss, remaining leant over the brunette with their foreheads rested together. They both stared down at Bette's hands as they began to tug on the blonde's nipples, causing her to gasp.

"I need to see more of you" the blonde begged.

She moved her hands to the top of the brunette's towel.

"Can I?"

"God yes" the brunette breathed.

Slowly the blonde pulled the towel away from Bette's body as she stared in wonder at the skin that was being revealed to her. She had seen her best friend naked before, but this was different. This time she was going to get to touch her.

She nudged against the brunette's forehead with her chin, and Bette took the hint and moved back on the bed. She lay back and waited for the blonde to crawl over her.

"You have the most incredible body" Tina thought out loud.

She straddled the brunettes thighs and leant down to take a nipple in her mouth. She felt Bette's hands in her hair, encouraging her, and she began to suck on the hardened nub.

"Oh my god T…that feels so good"

The blonde reached up her other hand to play with the brunette's other nipple. She tugged on it, feeling Bette arching her back. She removed her mouth from the nipple and rested her forehead between the brunette's breasts, looking down her body. She watched her hand as it trailed down the brunette's stomach just as it had the other night, only this time, it wouldn't be stopping.

She paused the movements of her hand for a moment as it came to the trimmed strip of her just above Bette's centre. She adjusted her legs so that she was kneeling either side of one of the brunette's thighs, allowing the woman below her to spread her legs.

"Can I really touch you?" she asked softly.

"T…you never ever have to ask that" the brunette replied huskily "you've always been allowed to touch me"

Lowering her lips to place a light kiss in the valley between the brunette's breasts, Tina let her fingers slide down and inbetween her folds. She began to breathe heavily as her fingers came into contact with the wetness that had pooled between Bette's legs.

"Tina!" the brunette gasped.

The blonde began to stroke her fingers up and down the brunette's core. She was in complete and utter wonderment at the way the woman felt beneath her fingers.

"B…I…I don't know what I'm doing"

In that moment, Bette had forgotten that her best friend had never been with a woman before. She lifted herself up and flipped them over so that she was topping the blonde. She ran a finger down an imaginary line down the middle of the blonde's body. When she reached the top of her lacy black shorts, she paused.

"Can I take these off?"

"Please…" the blonde begged.

The brunette hooked her fingers under the waistband of the underwear. As the blonde lifted her hips to assist her, she slid the last remaining item of clothing down her legs and threw them to the floor. Finally, after all those years, they were naked together.

"I can't believe this is really happening" Bette whispered.

Tina spread her legs and guided the brunette's hand between them "This is real. This is you"

"Oh god" the brunette whimpered.

She leant down over the blonde and pressed their mouths together as her fingers began to explore her centre for the first time. Both women were moaning into the kiss as Bette's fingers sought out the blonde's clit which was begging for attention.

"I want to touch you too" Tina breathed against the brunette's lips "I just don't know how"

The brunette paused her movements for a moment as she sat up and placed the blondes hand against her core "Just follow my lead"

She leant back down and they kissed again as their fingers moved in synch, each women circling the others clit. The kisses grew lighter as both women struggled to control their breathing. They had waited so long for this, and it felt better than either of them could have even imagined. Bette pressed down against the blonde's clit and felt her own hips jerk as the blonde did the same to her. Their hips rocked against one another's hands, desperately seeking the release that they needed.

"Bette…oh my god…" the blonde panted "this is…oh my god…"

"T…I've never…you feel so good…"

The brunette kept her thumb pressed down on the blonde's clit as she slid two fingers inside her.

"Fuck!" Tina gasped.

As she adjusted to the feeling of the brunette's fingers inside her, the blonde made her move to copy her position. Sliding two fingers into Bette, she felt a tear trickle down her cheek.

"T?" the brunette asked in concern, pausing her movements "What's wrong?"

"Please don't stop" the blonde begged "it just feels so…perfect…being inside you"

They kissed tenderly as they built up a slow rhythm with their bodies, matching each other stroke for stroke. Their thumbs pressed firmly on one another's clits and both women were squirming in pleasure.

"I don't…want this to end" Tina panted.

"You can have this…again and again…" the brunette reassured.

Their hips were grinding, increasing the pace of their hands movements. They rocked against each other, desperate for as much contact as they could get. Bette tangled her free hand in the blonde's hair, looking down at her lovingly.

"Bette…I'm gonna come…"

"Come for me baby…I wanna see you…"

Tina's face contorted as she felt the hardest orgasm she had ever experienced wash over her. The sight of the blonde in such sheer pleasure sent a jolt through the blonde's body and she felt her own orgasm hit her. Their muscles clenched around each other's fingers as they rode out the pleasure, with the brunettes head collapsed against the blonde's shoulder.

As she felt herself recovering, Bette lifted her head to look at the blonde. There was a peaceful look on her face as her eyes shut with a contented smile. Slowly removing her fingers from inside Tina, the brunette reached up to move the strands of hair that clung to the sweat on the blonde's forehead. As she felt the movement, the blonde's eyelids fluttered open and she smiled up at the brunette.

"I never felt anything like that" she said shyly.

"That's what love feels like T"

"Then I wanna feel that every day"

"I will never stop making you feel like that"

The blonde reached up a hand to cup the brunette's cheek "We're really gonna do this, huh?"

"We really are"

In that moment, the how and why didn't matter at all. What mattered was that Tina had finally realised that there was only one person who could make her truly happy.


	15. Chapter 15

**5 days to go**

Dressed in her business suit following a lengthy day of meetings with the production team, Tina stood at the door of the home that she shared with Henry. Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door.

"Tina?" Henry asked, confused at the sight of his fiancee on the doorstep "Why are you ringing the bell?"

"Oh…I don't know…I just…can I come in?"

"It's your home Tina, of course you can. But I thought you wanted to spend these two weeks apart?"

The blonde stepped into the house and closed the door behind her ""I did. I mean, I do. But Henry, we need to talk"

Across town, Bette was pacing up and down in the living room. It had been over an hour since Tina had text her to say that she was outside the house, and still she had heard nothing. It was this one final hurdle that she was most worried about, she didn't trust Henry not to cause a scene. And as she knew from her own experience, Tina wasn't a person that someone would be willing to give up without a fight.

Hearing a key turn in the lock, she stood still and held her breath. The door swung open to reveal the blonde, tears streaming down her face.

"T? What's going on?" the brunette rushed over to her and pulled her into a tight embrace.

"Bette" the blonde sniffled into Bette's shoulder "you aren't gonna want to hug me after you hear what I have to say"

Not releasing her hold on the blonde, the brunette spoke "No…no…I'm not letting you go"

"It's my Mom" Tina cried.

"Come on, come sit down with me and we'll talk about it" the brunette said softly, leading the blonde to the sofa.

They sat down in silence as Bette rubbed the blonde's back, patiently waiting for her to continue.

"I went to the house to talk to Henry, to tell him I can't go through with the wedding. But before I could tell him he said…he said…oh god…" the blonde dissolved into sobs.

"Sshh it's ok" the brunette soothed, kissing the top of her head "just take a deep breath and tell me what he said"

"He said he was sorry so to hear my Mom's news"

The brunette wrinkled her brow "But I thought you spoke to your Mom the other day. You never mentioned any news"

"That's just it, there wasn't any. But apparently she called the house first and spoke to Henry. You know how well they got on when Mom decided to come to my graduation"

Bette just nodded, trying to control the anger in her as she remembered the day clearly, when Tina's family had refused to acknowledge her friends, but spent all day talking to her boyfriend of two weeks.

"She told him…" the blonde choked "she told him that she was so grateful that he was helping to fulfil her final wish"

"What…what are you saying?"

The blonde looked up, her face stained with tears "My Mom's dying Bette, and the one thing she wants before she…she dies is to see me and Henry get married"

The brunette closed her eyes and gritted her teeth, determined not to show her own pain in that moment. Slowly she opened them and the two women's eyes locked in a sad gaze.

"You have to do what you have to do" Bette said softly.

The blonde took hold of her best friends hand "Why me? Why now? I finally make a decision that I should have made years ago, and now all this? Life really does suck"

"We'll get through this T"

"We?"

"We" the brunette confirmed "I'm gonna be right by your side the whole way"

"I can't ask you to do that"

"You don't have to ask. I said I'd always be there for you, and that won't change. I'm not giving up on us, on this"

"But I'm gonna be married"

"I don't care ok" the brunette reassured, her own tears beginning to fall "I don't care if you have a hundred husbands, I'm not going anywhere"

"But how…how am I supposed to stand there and marry him when the woman I really want to be with is standing two feet away?"

Bette bit her lip "The same way that I'm gonna stand there and watch you get married. Because you have to"

"All I ever seem to do is hurt you" the blonde said regretfully, looking down at her hands that were clasping on to the brunette's.

"T" the brunette reached out with her free hand and lifted the blonde's chin so that their eyes met "Every bit of pain is worth it for just a second of loving you. And if yesterday is the only time that I get to be with you, then I still wouldn't change a thing. Because I got to love you. You were mine, even if it was only for a few hours. And those few hours will stay with me for the rest of my life"

Tina leant forwards and softly kissed the brunette, her lips lingering for a moment.

The brunette whimpered "I don't want to stop kissing you"

"I can't stop kissing you" the blonde responded softly before kissing Bette more hungrily.

Hands tangled into hair as they pulled each other closer, desperately seeking out each other's tongues. Both women were moaning as they sought to free themselves from any feeling other than that of the kiss.

"Wait" the brunette pulled away, panting.

"What?"

"We shouldn't…we shouldn't be doing this"

"You don't want to?"

"Oh I do, god I do" Bette cupped the blonde's cheek "but we have to try ok. We have to try to just be friends. Because I don't think I can handle watching my lover get married"

"You're right" the blonde agreed sadly, closing her eyes "I just wish you weren't. This is gonna be so damn hard"

"You're telling me"

"Now that I know how it feels to touch you, how the hell am I supposed to keep my hands off you?"

"The same way I've kept my hands off you all these years"

"Willpower?"

"Willpower" the brunette confirmed.

"But I don't wanna sleep without you"

"You don't have to ok" Bette rubbed the blonde's arm "It's gonna be tough, but I'm not having you sleep anywhere except my bed"

"And what do we do after the wedding?" the blonde whispered, afraid to hear the answer.

"I don't know" the brunette responded quietly "I honestly don't know"


	16. Chapter 16

**4 days to go**

Four days Bette thought to herself in four fucking days I have to watch her become his.

It was early evening and the brunette was laying the table for dinner for two. She was trying so hard to keep control of her emotions in the situation that she found herself in, but the truth was, inside she was breaking.

"Hey"

She turned at the sound of the sweet voice that she loved so much, and couldn't help but smile at the blonde who was emerging from the bedroom dressed in sweat pants and a tank top.

"Hey you" the brunette purred.

"What's cooking? It smells good"

"Just a chilli"

"With extra spice?"

"With extra spice" the brunette confirmed "and just so you know, I'm holding your crazy taste buds responsible if I can't feel my tongue later"

The blonde stepped close to Bette and ran a fingertip up her forearm "I'm sure I could help you get the feeling back"

"Tina" the brunette warned "you're not behaving"

"I'm trying" the blonde pouted.

"Try harder" came the retort as the brunette moved away and back into the kitchen.

Tina exhaled and followed her best friend "You want a hand?"

Bette turned to face her and raised an eyebrow, biting her lip to prevent an inappropriate comment slipping out.

"You can say it" the blonde told her, as if she could read her mind.

The brunette picked up the chilli to carry it through to the table. As she passed the blonde she paused to growl in her ear "I want your hand in me"

The blonde groaned. Trying to act like friends was going to be a hell of a lot harder than she had thought.

When she pulled herself together and emerged from the kitchen she found that the brunette had served the food and was sat down smiling innocently at her.

"You're gonna get yourself in trouble Porter"

"Oh I do hope so" Bette responded with a wink.

"Bette" the blonde scolded her "you said we were behaving"

"I know I know" the brunette held her hands up in apology.

The blonde rolled her eyes and lifted a fork full of chilli to her mouth, smiling as the spicy flavour hit her tastebuds.

"Hot enough for you?" Bette enquired.

The blonde considered it for a moment before replying "It could do with a little more kick"

"You're not seriously wanting more chilli on that?" the brunette asked incredulously.

"Yep" the blonde grinned.

"You know where it is, top shelf"

The blonde disappeared into the kitchen and returned with the jar of chilli powder, sprinkling a generous amount on her plate. She tried another fork full and grinned.

"Perfect!"

"You're crazy"

"You wanna try?"

"No thanks, I value my tastebuds"

"I dare you to eat a spoonful"

"Tina…"

"What's the matter, is big bad Porter scared?" the blonde teased, knowing that no matter how old Bette got, she would never be able to turn down a challenge from her.

"Fine, pass it here" the brunette scowled, taking a spoon piled high with the blonde's chilli.

The blonde watched on in amusement as a flush spread across the brunette's cheeks and her eyes began to water.

"Fuck, I think my mouth is on fire!" Bette gasped.

Smirking, the blonde got out of her seat and made her way round to the brunette.

"How about I cool it down for you?"

She leant down and kissed the gaping brunette, sliding her tongue into her mouth. The brunette whimpered at the combination of sensations from the firey chilli and the blonde's soft tongue.

"Better?" Tina grinned.

"Nearly" the brunette breathed, pulling the blonde back down by her neck to press their lips together again.

They kissed softly and the brunette was fully away that the tingles on her lips were no longer as a result of the spicy food.

"Go sit down…before I lose control" she panted.

"Maybe I want you to lose control" the blonde growled against her lips.

"Tina…"

"Ok ok, I'll behave"

The blonde returned to her seat with a pout, but couldn't hide the smile in her eyes. The rest of the meal was uneventful as the two women managed to keep their hands to themselves and honour their promise to behave.

Once the table was cleared and the dishes were washed they headed over to the sofa, with the brunette noticeably taking a seat at the opposite end from the blonde.

"What are you doing all the way over there?" Tina asked.

"I'm imposing a two foot rule to avoid any further…incidents"

"So I'm not allowed any closer to you than this?"

"Nope"

The brunette stared ahead, flicking through the tv channels, trying to focus her attention on anything except for the blonde.

"So what happens if I break this rule?" Tina said with a sly smile, inching her way across the sofa.

"I'm not telling you" the brunette responded, trying her best to ignore the blonde.

"Aww come on" the blonde said in a low voice, her body now with just a centimetres gap from the brunette's "how can I be expected to obey a rule if I don't know the consequences of breaking it?"

"Trust me T, the consequences will be very serious"

"How serious?" the blonde breathed, her mouth hovering next to the brunette's ear.

Bette swallowed. She hadn't been counting on the blonde making this quite so difficult.

"You won't like it" she warned.

"But I like being this close to you"

Tina closed the remaining gap between the two of them and took the brunette's earlobe into her mouth, sucking on it gently. The brunette gulped, trying to retain her composure.

"I'll…wear pyjamas to bed" the brunette threatened.

The blonde jumped back and immediately settled herself at the other end of the sofa. The brunette smirked to herself. Her only worry now was how she was going to cope in bed with the blonde.

"Why is there always such shit on tv?" the brunette complained.

"Because you're an intellectual snob"

Bette turned and raised an eyebrow at the blonde "You think I'm a snob?"

"Sure you are. You want everything to be all intelligent and serious. Sometimes you just gotta appreciate the trash"

"I can't believe you think I'm a snob!"

"I said intellectual snob, there's a difference" the blonde protested.

"You still said snob"

"Well it's true"

"Not everything I watch is intellectual…" the brunette stated unconvincingly.

"Name me one thing you watch that isn't?" the blonde challenged.

Bette thought for a moment, then smiled, looking proud of herself "I have some lesbian movies, you can't say they're all intellectual"

"The ones you own are all arthouse productions or foreign films with subtitles. They're definitely not trash"

"Damn"

"Don't get mad"

"I'm not mad. I'm just gonna prove you wrong"

"Oh yeah, and how are you gonna do that?"

"We're gonna watch America's Next Top Model" the brunette retorted smugly.

"Oooh I love that show"

Bette rolled her eyes "You would"

"And what's that supposed to mean?" the blonde asked indignantly.

"A bunch of hot women? I bet you just watch to perve on them"

Five minutes later the brunette had changed her mind.

"Some of these girls are waaaay too skinny"

"See, I don't watch it to perve. Besides, these girls aren't my type"

"Oh yeah" the brunette turned to face the blonde again, her voice lowering "so what is your type?"

"Well…while I do go for brunettes with hot bodies" she said, nodding at the girls on the tv "my real weakness is for intellectual snobs"

"Intellectual snobs huh?" the brunette echoed, leaning forwards as the blonde did the same thing "So it's not a bad thing?"

"Definitely not a bad thing" the blonde whispered, closing the gap between the two of them and kissing the brunette.

"Dammit!" Bette cursed, pulling away and returning to her position at the end of the sofa "Two foot rule!"

The blonde just chuckled and settled herself back down to watch one of her favourite shows. As the programme went on, the brunette found herself enjoying it more than she had expected. While she still found the whole thing superficial, she was interested in the photography aspect. And besides, some of the women weren't too bad either.

When the show ended the blonde couldn't help but yawn.

"Is it time for bed yet?" she asked.

"I don't know, is it?"

"I'm shattered"

"Then it's time for bed"

The brunette turned off the tv and made sure the front door was locked before she followed the blonde into the bedroom.

"So does the two foot rule apply in bed too?" the blonde asked as she entered the room.

"It definitely applies in bed"

"Fine. I can do that"

Bette found herself routed to the spot as the blonde pulled off her clothes and got into bed without putting on any further garments.

"Err T…aren't you forgetting something?"

"Like what?"

"Pyjamas?"

"Nope. If you can sleep in underwear, so can I. And what difference does it make if we're staying two feet apart?"

"You'll be the death of me Tina Kennard, I swear to god"

Swallowing hard, the brunette undressed and climbed into her side of the bed, making sure to keep a distance between herself and the blonde.

"Night Bette"

"Night T"

As always, Tina drifted off to sleep quickly, leaving the brunette tossing and turning in frustration. It was literally killing her to have the blonde so close wearing so little and yet not being able to touch her. Now maybe she understood how Tina had felt all those times that they'd shared a bed.

Two hours passed and still sleep would not come for Bette. Even the relaxing rhythm of the blonde's slow breathing hadn't helped her. She found herself on her side just staring at the blonde's back, wondering how much longer she was going to torture herself for.

"Mmmm"

She smiled when she heard the gentle moan from the blonde. Every sound that she made was like music to the brunette's ears.

The blonde moaned again and rolled over onto her back, giving the brunette an ever better sight to stare at. She was mesmorised by the rise and fall of the blonde's bra clad chest, her breasts seeming to call out to her to touch them.

"Mmm…Bette…" the blonde murmured.

The brunette took a deep breath. Now that she knew that Tina was dreaming about her she had no chance of falling asleep.

"Bette…yeah…"

Bette's eyebrows shot up a she heard the latest moan and watched the blonde's hand stroking her own stomach. Was she…could she be…in that moment the brunette would have given anything to know what the blonde was dreaming about.

She didn't have to wait long for her suspicions to be confirmed. The blonde kicked the sheets down, parted her thighs and her hand was now rubbing herself over her underwear.

"Just like that babe…"

"Fuck" the brunette breathed.

"More…Bette…fuck me….yessss…."

It was all too much for the brunette to resist. She scooched over, the self imposed rule flying out the window the second the blonde started touching herself. As the blonde's hand rubbed over the top of her underwear, the brunette slid a hand between her legs to touch the crotch of the lacy garment. The material was soaked. It must have been a hell of a dream.

She began to stroke the material, careful not to apply too much pressure so as not to shock the blonde. The moans coming from her mouth spurred the brunette on as she slid her fingers up and down, brushing against the blonde's fingertips.

"Bette?" the blonde's eyes shot open as she felt the brunette's fingers make contact with her own.

"Sshh" Bette reassured her, leaning over to kiss her tenderly "It's ok, it's me"

"What…what are you doing?"

"What does it feel like I'm doing?"

"But the rule…"

"I don't care" the brunette interrupted, leaning down to place another kiss on the blonde's lips.

"Mmm" the blonde moaned into the kiss.

"So you gonna tell me about the dream you were having?"

The brunette smirked down as she leant over the blonde, her fingers still teasing her over the top of her underwear.

Tina's eyes widened "What dream?"

"Oh I think you know T. The dream that got you all wet"

"It did?" the blonde blushed.

"Uh huh…so fucking wet…so what were you dreaming about that you got you so hot and bothered that you had to touch yourself?"

"Touch me…touch me and I'll tell you"

The brunette leant down and planted a lingering kiss on the blonde's lips before lifting her head again to watch the expression on Tina's face as she slid her fingers under her underwear. She stroked a fingertip up and down her centre, parting her folds and gasping at the extent of the wetness that she found.

"I was dreaming about the wedding…"

"What?" Bette stilled her fingers immediately.

"Wait…let me finish…we were at the wedding…and when they asked if anyone objected, you stepped forward…"

"Oh I did, did I?" the brunette grinned, starting her movements again.

"Yeah…" the blonde breathed "you said you objected…because you were the best fuck I ever had, and I deserved to be with the best"

Bette smirked "Now that sounds like something I would say"

The brunette's fingers sought out the blonde's clit as she waited for her to continue the story.

"Fuck!" the blonde gasped, closing her eyes as the brunette began to manipulate her sensitive nub.

"Keep going or I'll stop" the brunette warned.

"Then…then you said that you'd prove it to everyone…by fucking me right there…"

"In the church? My my, someone does have inappropriate fantasies…" Bette teased.

The blonde blushed.

"I'm sorry baby, carry on" the brunette apologised, kissing her softly.

"You got down…on your knees…and lifted up my dress…"

"Were you wearing underwear?"

The blonde shook her head "No…because I'd been hoping that you'd fuck me later…"

"Mmm I like the way you think" the brunette smirked as she continued circling the blonde's clit with increasing pressure "so what happened once I had your dress lifted up?"

"You…you started licking me…"

"What, here?" Bette teased, pressing down firmly on her clit.

"Fuck…yes…your tongue was everywhere…"

"So when did you start begging me to fuck you?"

At any other time the blonde would have been embarassed, but by now she was too far gone.

"When you started pushing your fingers up inside me"

"You mean like this?"

The brunette grinned wickedly, slipping two fingers down and inside the blonde.

"Oh fuck yes…Bette…please…"

"Mmm yeah…that's what it sounded like…"

Bette began to curl her fingers as she slid them in and out of the blonde, loving the sounds that she made as her moans caught in the back of her throat.

"So when did you wake up?"

"Before…before I came…" the blonde panted.

"Well dream me is very sorry…and real life me has every intention of making up for it by making you scream"

Tina whimpered as the brunette crashed her lips down against hers, kissing her hungrily as she increased the pace with which she was thrusting in and out of her. Their tongues battled desperately, probing as deep into one another's mouths as they could as the brunette curled her fingers upwards again, making contact with the spot that caused the blonde's hips to jerk. Their bodies were rocking together as the brunette straddled the blonde's thigh, using her own hips to add force to her thrusts. She could feel Tina scratching at her back, causing her to groan into her mouth.

With every thrust the brunette seemed to be pushed deeper and deeper into the blonde, never failing to hit the crucial spot. Tina's legs were spread as wide as they could physically could, inviting the brunette's fingers deeper as she lifted her hips to meet each thrust. She clawed at the brunette's muscular back, shuddering with the mini waves of pleasure that were hitting her. She was getting closer and closer, finding it more and more difficult to continue kissing the brunette.

Finally it was too much and she flung her head back against the pillow "Beeetttteee….fuck fuck fuck fuck aaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Her body contracted as the brunette's fingers pressed firmly against her gspot, causing her to cry out. She bucked her hips, riding Bette's fingers as she was sent into a world of pleasure.

When she was finally able to relax and open her eyes, she found the brunette looking down at her and smiling. Her fingers had uncurled but remained inside the blonde. It was a strangely comforting feeling, as if they were connected on a level that no-one else could be.

"This is bad" Bette said softly, the smile remaining on her face.

"B…nothing that feels that good could ever be bad"

"Still…"

"I want to taste you" the blonde cut her off.

The brunette's eyebrows shot up "What?"

"Come on, we already broke the rules, we may as well break them properly"

"T…you don't have to…" the brunette said softly, concerned that it was something that the blonde had never done before.

"I want to" Tina said firmly, staring up at the brunette.

The brunette gulped, slowly pulling her fingers out of the blonde and hearing her whimper. She went to move off of the blonde but found herself stopped by the feeling of hands on her hips.

"You see, I'm a little too worn out to move" the blonde said with a sly grin.

"What are you saying…"

"I'm saying I want you to bring that beautiful pussy of yours up to my mouth"

"Oh my fucking god" the brunette exhaled.

She eagerly removed her underwear before straddling the blonde's stomach.

"You're sure about this T" she asked one more time before she knew that she would lose control completely.

"Get up here now"

Bette wasn't going to question her again. She slowly crawled her way up the blonde's body, feeling a pair of hazel eyes staring intently between her legs. Finally she was in position with her knees on either side of the blonde's head. She parted her legs further and felt the blonde reach up to grab hold of her ass, guiding her downwards.

The second the brunette's centre came into contact with the blonde's waiting mouth, both women moaned. For Tina, this was the ultimate act of intimacy, and one she'd long dreamed of sharing with Bette. Her curiousity as to what a woman tasted like had got the better of it, and god was she glad that it had. She opened her mouth wide and let her tongue explore the brunette's open core, taking as much of the wetness into her mouth as she could.

As she felt the brunette begin to rock her hips, grinding her centre over her mouth, the blonde began to slide her tongue around in random patterns. Her eyes closed as she lost herself in the act, wanting to taste as much of the brunette as possible.

"Fuck…T…that feels so good…" Bette panted, her hips rocking with increasing desperation.

The sound of the brunette's husky voice caused the blonde's eyes to open and stare up at her body. She pulled her mouth away slightly so that she could speak.

"Take your bra off" she ordered.

The brunette did as she was told and removed the offending item as she felt the blonde's tongue return to her core. She began to play with her own nipples, knowing that the blonde was watching her from between her legs and hoping that it would encourage her further.

And it definitely worked. The blonde growled into her core and began lapping at her clit, watching the brunette perform equally quick motions on her own nipples. The quick movements of her tongue were causing the brunette's hips to rock faster and she dug her fingers into her firm ass.

"T….oh my god…oh my god…"

The feeling of Tina's tongue on her was simply exquisite. This was a position that the brunette had always favoured, as it gave her feelings of both power and pleasure at the same time. And without knowing, the blonde was giving her exactly what she wanted. She cried out as she felt the blonde lift her head and latch onto her clit, sucking it into her mouth.

"Oh yeah…right there baby…that's it…"

The blonde sucked harder on her clit, feeling the thigh muscles on either side of her head beginning to shake. Bette's hips were rocking frantically as she sought the release that she was antagonisingly close to getting.

Tingles seemed to shoot up her legs as a warm feeling spread through her. Her hips went into overdrive as she arched her back and shook uncontrollably.

"Teeeeeeeeeeeeeee" she yelled.

The blonde made sure to look up and watch the beautiful sight of an orgasm hitting the woman above her. She held onto her thighs as she continued to kiss her core, drawing out the pleasure. When finally she could take no more, the brunette slumped back and managed to half roll off the blonde. Tina smiled and pulled the shakey brunette into her arms, kissing her shoulder lightly.

"T…are you sure…you never did that before?" the brunette panted.

"I'm pretty sure I'd remember if I had"

"But…wow…how did you know…what to do?"

"Call it intuition. Or good research skills"

Bette opened her eyes to look at the blonde "Research skills?"

"I may have done some browsing on the internet" the blonde admitted, her cheeks reddening.

"You know you could have just asked me to teach you?"

"I wanted to make you feel as good as you make me feel…I didn't want to disappoint you"

"Hey" the brunette shifted so that they were on their sides facing each other with their limbs intertwined "you could never disappoint me. A huge part of how good sex is comes from the connection between the two people. And for the record, I think it's cute that you did research"

"Oh shut up"

"I'm serious though T, I've been with women who are way more experienced than even I am, and it still didn't compare to how good it is with you"

"Now I know you're lying"

"Honestly. When someone knows you as deeply as you know me, the connection carries over…and this is the result"

"If you say so. For all I know, sex between two women is always this good"

"Well compared to sex with a man it is, but there's good sex and there's great sex and then there's fucking unbelievable sex. And you and me, we just had fucking unbelievable sex"

Tina couldn't help but smile. She always knew when the brunette was lying, and now was not one of those moments.

"So we suck at behaving then huh?" she said with a chuckle.

"We had a small relapse. I blame your dirty dreams"

"Well it was you in my dreams" the blonde pointed out.

"Ok, so we'll blame dream me. It's all her fault"

The blonde giggled.

"Tomorrow, we have to try harder" the brunette decided.

"Ok deal. Does that mean we get to cuddle tonight?"

"You're not even getting a choice"

Bette pulled Tina in close against her body and sighed contentedly. Finally she had the comfort that she needed to fall asleep.


	17. Chapter 17

**3 days to go**

Tina sat in front of the mirror staring at herself.

_Who the hell are you?_ she thought to herself _and what the hell are you going with your life?_

The blonde still looked the same, but there was something different in her eyes. A sorrowful look that didn't seem to disappear, no matter how much she thought about happy things. The confusion of the last few weeks was taking its toll on her, and still she didn't have answers to any of her questions. She'd been trying to reach her mother all day to try and make sense of it all, but the calls had been going straight to answerphone. She wasn't even sure if she had the right number anymore. Was she really about to put her estranged mother's happiness before hers and Bette's? Normally she wouldn't have thought twice about telling her mother where to go. But now it was different. Surely everybody deserves a little peace of mind before they die?

As Tina sat before the mirror, the weight of the world seeming to hang on her shoulders, the brunette was taking a long shower. It was the point in the day where she always allowed herself to clear her head and put the stresses of work behind her. However, these days getting home from work didn't mean escaping from stress. She was trying to play down the enormity of the situation with Tina in her head, but in reality that was only making it worse. They were living in some bubble inside Bette's house, as if the moment they shut the front door, no-one on the outside existed. But no matter how much they pretended, the fact remained that in three days time the blonde was marrying Henry, and would have to go home with him. And the brunette genuinely had no idea how she was going to cope. She had gotten so used to having the blonde in her home that she couldn't imagine spending the night in an empty house.

Feeling the water start to go cold, the brunette turned off the shower and got out, wrapping herself in a towel. She unlocked the bathroom door and walked through into the bedroom, smiling softly at the sight of the blonde sat at the dresser.

"Hey T"

"Hey" the blonde smiled at the brunette in the mirror "I erm…I'm gonna go out into the living room"

"What's wrong?" the brunette asked as the blonde moved to the door.

"I just don't trust myself to be around you while you're getting dressed" Tina replied, her cheeks reddening in embarassment.

"T…" the brunette walked over to her and took hold of her hand "save me a spot on the sofa then yeah?"

"I'll think about it…what do I get if I do?"

"Tina…" Bette warned.

"I never said anything dirty, that's just your mind"

"Oh" the brunette blushed "well maybe I could stretch to a foot rub"

The blonde grinned "It's a deal"

The brunette shook her head as she watched Tina leave the room. It was as if every rational thought left her brain the second that she saw the blonde. She had vowed to keep things friendly, told herself that it would be easier that way, but she couldn't help but slip straight into flirtation mode as soon as she was around her. She was playing with fire and she knew it, yet she just couldn't help herself.

She dressed herself in a pair of boxers and a tank top, aware that her erect nipples were visible through the thin material, but not caring. If she had to suffer from extreme sexual frustration, so would the blonde.

Making her way through to the living room, she saw the blonde laid out across the sofa.

"So where am I supposed to sit?" she asked in mock annoyance.

Tina smiled and lifted her legs "Right here"

The brunette rolled her eyes and sat down, lowering the blonde's legs into her lap. She took hold of one of her feet and began to rub it, massaging the sole to relax her.

"Mmm you are too good at that" the blonde moaned, closing her eyes.

"And you are not allowed to make noises like that"

"Why?"

"Because you know exactly what it does to me and that's not behaving"

"I can't help it if your hands are so talented"

"Watch it…"

"Well you're not behaving either" the blonde pointed out.

"How so?"

Tina slid her other foot up the brunette's chest and let her toes brush over the hardened nipple.

"Tina!" the brunette yelped.

"Well you shouldn't tempt me with that ridiculously thin top" the blonde retorted.

The brunette let her hand rest around the blonde's ankle "Just concentrate on the tv"

"It's pretty hard when your hand's on me"

"Fine" the brunette removed her hand and folded her arms, making sure not to come in contact with the blonde.

"Noooo" the blonde whined.

"T…we need to talk, don't we?"

"I guess…"

They stared and one another and the blonde turned herself round, laying her head in the brunette's lap. She linked her fingers with Bette's and placed their intertwined hands on her stomach.

"What happens after the wedding?" the brunette asked quietly.

The blonde sighed "I honestly don't know"

"I just…I don't think I can sit around not knowing"

"What do you want to happen B?"

"It's not my choice to make"

"Maybe…maybe it is" the blonde said softly, squeezing the brunette's hand.

"How? T, you're the one getting married. You hold all the cards here"

"And what if I gave you the cards?"

"I don't understand…"

"I've pushed you around, emotionally, for too long. I've been making decisions, or not making them, and you've just had to stick around for the ride. I can't do that to you anymore. I have to let this be on your terms"

"But…"

"Before you say anything" the blonde interrupted "I know I still have the control when it comes to the wedding, but in terms of us, and what happens between us, I want that to be your choice. And whatever you decide, I'll accept"

"Is this your way of putting the guilt onto me?"

"No, god no, I never meant it like that at all. I just…I want you to feel like you have some say in this instead of being stuck with my indecisive ass"

"Well for the record, I happen to love your ass, indecisive or not, but I think this is something we have to decide between us"

"Ooook, well hows about we work out the choices that we actually have?" the blonde suggested.

"Ok…I guess the most obvious one is that we call this all off. And stick to it"

Tina bit her lip "Uh huh. Or we carry on how we have been"

"Which is what exactly?"

"Friends…with benefits I guess"

"Yeah" the brunette said softly.

"Or we actually make a go of this"

The brunette had to laugh "While you're married?"

"I know it wouldn't exactly be conventional…"

"T, I'd be your mistress"

"I'm just putting all the options out there"

"I know" the brunette reassured, stroking the blonde's hair "maybe we should just run away somewhere"

Tina closed her eyes "You don't know how perfect that sounds"

They sat in silence for a while, each contemplating an alternate life.

"I can't let you become a cheating wife T. You hate people who have affairs"

"You'd be worth it" the blonde stared up at her.

"I won't let you compromise your values. I won't be the reason that you change who you are"

"But don't you see babe, you have changed me. You've helped me see things in myself that have been hidden for so long"

"I still can't let it go down that road T. The longer it carries on, the more everybody's gonna get hurt. And that includes us"

"So what are you saying?"

"I'm saying…once you're married, that's it"

Tears welled in the blonde's eyes "And until then?"

"I want to make the most of these last few days…and then I have to let you go"

"I can't lose you B"

"You won't, I promise you. It's gonna hurt but we'll get through it"

The blonde lifted herself up, so that her face was on a level with the brunette's. Understanding what she needed, the brunette leant in and kissed her softly, sliding a hand round the back of her neck to steady her. The kisses were tentative at first, both women suddenly feeling nervous. The blonde knew that she had to do as she had said and give the control over to the brunette.

Bette pulled more firmly on the blonde's neck, drawing her in closer. She sucked on the blonde's lower lip, causing her to whimper. Her other hand slid around the blonde's back, gently stroking the skin that was exposed by the gap between her top and sweat pants. Careful not to break the kiss, the blonde shifted herself so that she was straddling the brunette's lap, letting her hands tangle into the curls that she loved so much.

The passion between them was rising as the brunette took charge of the kiss, sliding her tongue into the blonde's mouth. Their lips moved together in perfect harmony, a soft yet firm motion that was symbolic of the emotions that were coursing through them. Knowing where this would inevitably lead, the brunette wrapped her arms around the blonde's waist, using her impressive upper body strength to lift the blonde up as she got to her feet.

"Bette!" the blonde yelped, wrapping her legs around the brunette's waist.

"I've got you" the brunette said with a smile, her arms resting under the blonde's ass to hold her securely.

The two women grinned at each other as Bette managed to carry the blonde through to the bedroom and threw her down on the bed. The second she did, the smile left her face and her eyes darkened.

"Will you let me take you?" she asked, her voice noticeably lower than it had been previously.

"God yes" the blonde whimpered, pulling her top over her head and throwing it on the floor.

As the brunette moved to the foot of the bed and began tugging off the blonde's sweatpants, Tina reached behind her own back and unfastened her bra, letting it join the rest of her clothing on the floor.

"Mmm no underwear?" the brunette breathed, admiring the sight of the naked blonde laid out before her.

"It got too wet when I was thinking about you so I had to take it off" the blonde teased.

The brunette groaned "I swear to god, you're gonna kill me woman"

She let her eyes roam over the blonde's body, eventually coming to focus on her face.

"Take me" the blonde begged huskily.

With a wicked grin on her face, the brunette knelt on the edge of the bed, taking the blonde's ankle in her hand and lifting her leg in the air.

"You are so sexy T" she breathed.

She began to kiss her way up the blonde's leg, her tongue flicking out as she reached her thigh. She worked her way up to the top of her leg, taking a deep breath to breathe in the scent that was being emitted from the blonde's centre.

"Can I…?"

The blonde swallowed and bent her other leg, spreading herself to the brunette's hungry gaze. Bette settled herself between the blonde's legs and began placing gentle kisses all over her centre, causing the blonde to squirm. She felt a hand reach down to tug on her hair, a silent plea for more contact. Smiling, she leant in and licked along the length of the blonde's core.

"Fuuucckkkk!" the blonde gasped.

As soon as she had tasted Tina, the brunette needed more. She pushed her face into her centre, planting open mouthed kisses over and over again on her clit, her tongue swirling as she lost herself in her actions. With one hand gripping the blonde's hip, she pushed an unexpected finger into her, causing her to grip onto the sheets.

"Beeetttteee!"

The brunette was in her element, licking and sucking on the blonde's clit as she added a second finger. She was sure that Tina tasted sweeter than any woman that had gone before her, and she simply couldn't get enough. She curled her fingers upwards, seeking out the spot that she knew would take the blonde even higher.

Sucking the blonde's swollen clit into her mouth, she held it there and began to flick the tip of it with her tongue. She rubbed her fingers back and forth over the spot that she had found, feeling the blonde quivering beneath her.

"Oh my god…oh my god…fuck fuck fuck…" the blonde chanted.

The brunette was breathing heavily through her nose, her face moving with the rhythm of the blonde's hips. She pressed harder with her fingers, a desperate desire in herself to her the blonde come.

"You're so good…oh my god you're so good…" Tina panted.

The compliments were nothing new to the brunette, but it was as though they had never meant anything until they were said by the blonde. All she wanted was to please her. She dug her nails into the blonde's hipbone as she increased her motions, driving her closer and closer to the edge.

"I'm gonna come…I'm gonna come….Bette…fuck…"

The blonde's hips were thrusting forcefully as she reached a hand down, pushing Bette's face into her core as she felt the waves of pleasure crash over her. The brunette could barely breathe, but she didn't care. Her ears were filled with the sounds of the blonde's high pitched moans, even through the barrier of the thighs that had clenched around her head.

"Shiiiiittttt" the blonde screamed.

Her face flushed as she felt a warm liquid shoot out of her. As Tina came down from her high, her thighs unclenched and she relaxed her hold on the head between her legs. The brunette lifted herself up, panting somewhat to recover her own breath. As soon as she could breathe she leant her head back down and began lapping up the wetness that she had caused.

"Bette…wait…" an embarassed Tina tugged on the brunette's shoulder.

"What's wrong?" the brunette looked up from between her legs, the blonde's juices evident on her face.

"I think I just pee'd…can you come up here…"

"Oh honey, you just ejaculated…and I'm not going anywhere until I finish tasting this…"

"I did?" the blonde blushed.

"Mmm hmm" the brunette moaned, returning to the blonde's core as she licked gently, taking all of the wetness into her mouth.

They each reached out a hand, intertwining their fingers against the crumpled sheets.

"Babe…come here…please…"

With one last lick on the blonde's core, the brunette crawled up her body and took her into her arms.

"I never…realised that could actually happen" the blonde said quietly, unable to look the brunette in the eye.

"It doesn't happen often…but it's fucking hot"

"You like it?"

"Does this look like the face of someone who wasn't just having the time of her life?" the brunette replied with a sexy grin.

The blonde lifted her head to press her lips to the brunettes. She could taste herself on Bette's tongue and it surprised her when a moan came from her own throat. She let her tongue wander as she began to clean the brunette's face.

"Mmm see T…it's sexy"

Once she was content with her handiwork, the blonde smiled and laid her head back on the pillow. The brunette snuggled into her, nuzzling into her neck.

"Bette?"

"Yeah?" the brunette asked softly, her eyes already closed as she relaxed completely.

"Can you take your clothes off? I need to be close to you tonight"

"Of course" Bette smiled, placing a soft kiss on the blonde's cheek.

She lifted herself up and pulled off her clothes before laying back down with the blonde. They fitted themselves together, and for once, the brunette was drifting off to sleep as fast as the blonde.

"I love you babe" Tina whispered sleepily.

The brunette mumbled her reply "Love you too T"


	18. Chapter 18

**2 days to go**

It was 3pm on Thursday and post production had finally finished on Tina's latest movie. It was cutting it fine, but she had got the promised break before the wedding. A few weeks ago maybe she would have got excited at that thought, but now the impending countdown just filled her with dread.

She got her stuff together and headed out into the studio, at least grateful for an early finish. As she walked down the corridor she bumped into Shane.

"Hey Tina, you all done?"

"Yeah…what are you doing here?" the blonde asked with a friendly smile.

"They called me in to do the hair for a couple of promo shots"

"That's great, how are they looking?"

"Pretty good if I do say so myself" Shane replied smugly.

"Shane…I could do with a stiff drink, you fancy joining me?"

"Isn't that usually my line?"

"Come on, I could use that wise old head of yours"

"Quit calling me old and I'll join you"

The blonde laughed "Fair enough, would your young self care to join me for a drink?"

"Now you're talking"

The two friends left the studio and found a bar downtown. It wasn't one that they usually frequented, but Tina fancied a change of scenery. Plus, if she was going to rant to Shane, she wanted it to be away from prying ears.

A gin and tonic was the blonde's chosen tipple for the afternoon and Shane opted to stick to beer. They chose a table a fair distance from the bar, although given the time of day they didn't really have to worry about being disturbed by other customers.

"So…is everything sorted for Saturday?"

Tina shrugged her shoulders "I guess"

"Hmm do I sense a little apprehension?" Shane asked sarcastically.

"Honestly…I don't want to marry him"

"Tell me something I don't already know"

"Seriously Shane, this wedding is the last thing I want"

"There's a pretty simple solution to that Tina"

"Simple? Ha! If anything about this was simple I'd have saved a lot of people a lot of heartache a long time ago"

The blonde filled her friend in on the situation with her Mom as they finished their drinks a lot quicker than they ought to have done at that time of day.

"Fuck Tina…that's some heavy shit. You want another?"

"Please"

It only took Shane a minute to get them both refills and she returned to the table.

"So you're really gonna go through with this then?" she asked as she slid another gin and tonic over to the blonde.

"I don't see that I have a choice…"

"I don't want to sound cold…but how long does she have left?"

"A couple of months. I mean Shane, what would you do? My mother and I have said some terrible things to each other over the years, but now I have this one chance to give her some happiness at the end of her life. Can I really deny her that?"

"But should her happiness really come at the expense of someone elses? Sure, she might be happy for a couple of months, but you guys are gonna be unhappy for a hell of a lot longer"

"But I have a lifetime to make up for it"

"And how long's a lifetime TK? I mean, not to sound morbid, but none of us really know. We could all die tomorrow. And that's why I don't believe you should put someone else's happiness above your own"

The blonde took a sip of her drink "And there's the irony of it all"

"What?"

"Well here I am, worrying about whether or not to put someone else's feelings before mine, when I've found someone that will do that for me in a heartbeat"

"Bette?" Shane guessed.

"Of course. I mean, she loves me that much that she's willing to put herself through being my maid of honour at my sham wedding. How often do you find someone that selfless, someone who loves you so much that they'll give up everything they want just so you can do what you feel is right?"

"Tina, some people never find that"

The blonde took a deep breath "Am I about to make the biggest mistake of my life?"

"Honestly? Yeah, I think you are"

"Fuck"

"Do you honestly think that you're gonna be ok marrying someone you don't even love?"

"But I do love him"

"Really? Even after you've realised what you share with Bette, you still think that what you and Henry have is love?"

"It's…different. Ok, so it's not the all consuming, butterflies in the stomach, 'I miss you when you're not here', 'I'd do anything for you' kind of love, but I still care about him. Shane I've spent nearly seven years with him"

"You're kidding yourself Tina, to try and make this whole mess easier. I've known you for longer than that and care about you a hell of a lot, but it doesn't mean I'd marry you!"

"There are worse things than someone who can offer you security and a stable future…" Tina tried, not sounding convinced by her own argument.

"And you don't think Bette can offer you that? There is nothing on this earth that that man can offer you that she can't"

The blonde downed the rest of her drink and stared at the ice as she swirled it round in the bottom of the glass.

"I know…" she said softly "believe me, I know"

"Tina?"

Shane reached over and placed a hand on her friends arm, causing her to look up.

"I'm gonna get another drink, you want one?"

"No, I'm good with this thanks" the brunette said, indicating her half full bottle of beer.

The blonde made her way to the bar and got the attention of the barman.

"Gin and tonic and a beer?" the young man asked.

"Just a gin and tonic please. In fact, make it a double" she ordered.

"Coming right up"

The barman fixed her drink and she paid him, being sure to leave a tip. When she returned to the table, her friend was looking at her in concern.

"You're going through those pretty quick TK" she pointed out.

"I'm wallowing"

"Hey, this isn't a pity party"

Tina smiled wryly and took a long sip of her drink "I love her Shane, that's what it all comes down to"

"It's good to hear you finally admit it"

"Hell, I'm crazy about her. She's…god, she's incredible"

The brunette grinned. She had waited so long to finally hear the blonde talk about their friend that way. For years she'd known that the two were made for each other. Normally she wasn't one to sit and listen to someone go on about a girl, but hearing Tina talk about Bette was different. They stayed in the bar for a couple of hours, with Shane ordering a drink with roughly every other one of the blonde's. The effects of the alcohol were noticeable in Tina, but despite what she had said earlier, she was no longer wallowing. In fact, the smile hadn't left her face since she started talking about Bette.

"Oh and Shane…you were sooooo right about her reputation" the blonde said with a wink.

"Ok too much information!" Shane held up a hand to stop the blonde before she went any further "I love you both, but you're like sisters to me and I don't need the details of your sex life"

"Good, because I'm not sharing" Tina retorted.

"So…what are you gonna do?"

"I guess…I guess I have to call my Mom" the blonde said, searching through her bag for her phone.

"Hey…" Shane stopped her "maybe you should wait 'til you're sober"

"Hmm I guess you're right"

"You're off work tomorrow yeah?"

"Yeah"

"So take some time for yourself and give her a call, try and make her understand"

The blonde nodded, before noticing that a ringing sound was coming from her bag.

"Oooh there it is!" she exclaimed, pulling out the phone.

"Who is it?"

"Bette" the blonde replied with a grin, pressing the answer button "Hey you….umm actually I finished a couple of hours ago…..yeah, with Shane…..ummm Shane, where are we?"

"Curve Bar…downtown" Shane told her.

"In Curve Bar downtown" Tina repeated into the phone "…..we're just talking…things….nope it's confidential….maybe a couple…..ok more than a couple….would you?….you're the best….thanks babe, see you soon…..bye"

The blonde was grinning when she hung up the phone.

"Aww you're too cute" Shane teased.

"What?"

"I don't think I've ever seen your smile so big"

"I can't help it, she makes me giddy"

"So is your woman coming by?"

"Yeah she just got out of work. Apparently I'm not driving in this condition so she's gonna give me a ride"

Shane smiled "You fit together already"

"You want to ride home with us?"

"No it's cool, I said I'd meet a couple of the guys from the crew for a drink in a bit"

The brunette had to smile at how excited her friend got at the thought of seeing Bette. Lucky for them both, or more for the blonde, Bette only worked ten minutes away and there was parking outside the bar, so she was soon walking through the door. Tina's eyes lit up the second the brunette came into her line of sight.

"Ladies" Bette greeted them with a nod and a smile.

"Afternoon Bette" Shane raised her bottle in acknowledgment.

"Hey" the blonde smiled, standing up.

"Hey you"

The two women stood next to each other, unsure of the appropriate way to greet one another in public. However, the levels of alcohol in her body caused the blonde's shyness to disappear and she pulled the brunette into her arms. They both sighed as they welcomed the familiar feeling of their bodies pressing together.

Shane cleared her throat in an attempt to remind the two women of where they were.

"Sorry" Bette mumbled, blushing and stepping away from the blonde's embrace "can I get you a drink?"

"Nah I'm good thanks. This one's on the gin and tonics though" she replied, nodding at Tina.

"T? Gin? You know how crazy that makes you"

"Noooo" the blonde stepped back in to the brunette's arms and whispered in her ear "it makes me horny"

Bette laughed to cover her instant arousal "I'll be right back"

She went to the bar and bought a gin and tonic for Tina and a coke for herself. Returning to the table she found both women grinning at her.

"What?"

"You guys are too damn cute" Shane observed.

"You know better than to call me that" Bette warned jokingly.

"I only say what I see. Anyway, I gotta head off but you guys be good"

"We always are" Bette smiled at her friend.

"Bye TK"

"Bye Shane. Thanks for today"

"You're welcome. See ya guys"

The two women waved goodbye to their friend, before the brunette turned back to Tina "So how many of these have you had then?"

"Err…I have no idea….my new friend the barman could probably tell you"

Bette chuckled "You're cute when you're drunk"

"So you think I'm cute?"

"Uh huh…cute and a little sexy"

"Only a little?" the blonde pouted.

"Ok a lot sexy. But I don't think you need any more ego boosts from me"

"I could never get tired of you boosting my ego"

"Oh yeah? Well I think you got to earn the next one"

"Oh really?" the blonde said, lowering her voice and leaning over to run a hand up the brunette's thigh "and how might I do that?"

"Well…" the brunette replied huskily, leaning in "how's about I take you home and you let me feed you a carbohydrate-based dinner to soak up that alcohol?"

"Awww" Tina groaned "spoilsport"

They finished their drinks and Bette lead the blonde out to her car, opening the door for her.

"Bette?"

"Yeah?" the brunette answered as she moved round and got in the other side.

"What am I gonna do about my car?"

"Well…" Bette paused to start up the car "if you're up, I could drop you in on my way to work tomorrow?"

"I think I might be hungover"

"I think so too" the brunette laughed "well, how's about I get a cab in tomorrow and take your car to work?"

"You don't have to do that"

"It's no problem honestly"

"You mean you actually can drive a car other than a Saab?" the blonde teased.

"It'll be a struggle but I'm sure I'll manage"

The two women grinned at each other as they headed back to Bette's house. They were just pulling into the drive when the blonde gripped hold of the seat.

"Bette?"

"Yeah?"

"I feel sick"

"Shit…..hang on"

The brunette hardly put the car into park as the blonde swung her door open and threw up the contents of her stomach, which fortunately seemed to be mainly liquid. Trying not to panic about her beloved Saab, the brunette reached over to rub her back.

"It's ok, just get it all out" she soothed.

"I'm sorry" the blonde mumbled.

"Don't worry about it sweetheart. You think you're ok to get into the house?"

Tina nodded. The brunette got out of the car and went round to the blonde's side, avoiding the mess that had been made on the drive.

"Come on, let's get you inside"

Bette lead her inside and took her straight to the bathroom, helping the blonde to her knees in front of the toilet.

"I'm so sorry Bette"

"Stop apologising T, I just wanna make sure you're ok"

"I feel…" the blonde was interrupted by another wave of nausea as she threw up in the toilet with the brunette holding her hair back "Ok, NOW I feel better"

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I'm all done"

Bette flushed the toilet and helped the blonde back into the living room, settling her down on the sofa and getting her a glass of water.

"I'll be right back" she said softly.

"Where are you going?"

"To hose down the drive"

The blonde smiled apologetically. Ten minutes later the brunette returned, having washed away the evidence of Tina's over indulgence.

"What am I gonna do with you, hey?" the brunette said gently as she joined the blonde on the sofa.

"I'm such a mess"

"Well you're still the prettiest mess I ever saw"

Tina looked over at the brunette lovingly, contemplating telling her about her earlier conversation with Shane. However, she thought better of it. She'd already got her hopes up once and had no intention of crushing the brunette like that again. So for now, she kept her plan to herself and decided that she would resolve the whole thing in the morning.


	19. Chapter 19

**1 day to go**

Tina rolled over and groaned, blinking until her eyes finally opened properly. She peered over at the clock on the far side of the bed and saw that it was already past midday. Lifting herself up on her elbows, she smiled when she saw the glass of water and packet of painkillers on the bedside table. The brunette was always extra considerate when she was hungover.

She swallowed two painkiller with the water and dragged herself out of bed. Making her way through to the living room, she looked out of the window and saw that Bette had indeed taken a cab to work. She couldn't quite believe that the brunette had willingly taken a mode of transport other than her beloved Saab.

After helping herself to what had to really be lunch rather than breakfast, she settled herself down on the sofa and pulled her phone out of her handbag. She scrolled through her phone book and found her mother's number. Taking a deep breath, she pressed dial and waited for the call to connect.

_"Christina?"_

"Oh…hi Mom" the blonde was somewhat shocked that her mother had actually answered.

_"I'm just in the airport dear"_

"Mom there's something I need to talk to you about before you get on the plane…"

_"Sorry love I've got to go, they're calling my flight. I get in late tonight so we can just talk tomorrow ok?"_

"No Mom wait, I need to…"

Before Tina could finish her sentence her mother had hung up. She sat with her head in her hands. For all the good will in the world, she couldn't seem to rectify the situation that she found herself in. She tried dialling her mother's number again, but it went straight to answerphone. She'd obviously switched the phone off so that she could board the plane.

K

She knew now that there was going to be no easy way out of tomorrow's wedding. Could she really call it off dramatically at the last minute? Although she had come to realise that she wasn't IN love with Henry, she still didn't want to make a fool out of him. But she couldn't make a decision before she spoke to her mother to see if she could make her understand. And she had less than 24 hours to do so. So for now, she still had a wedding to prepare for.

It had been a somewhat subdued evening in Bette's house following her return from work with the blonde's car. The two women had barely spoken during dinner, each lost in their own thoughts of what the following day would mean. Now, as they sat on the sofa, they hadn't said a word in over half an hour.

"Bette?"

Slowly the brunette turned her head to look at the blonde.

"I do love you, you know" the blonde said softly.

A tear trickled down the brunette's cheek "I guess I never really understood what people meant when they said sometimes love isn't enough….until now"

"I'm so sorry" Tina whispered.

"T" the brunette breathed, reaching a hand out to stroke the blonde's face.

Slowly the blonde leant in and kissed the spot on the brunette's cheek where the tear had fallen. She continued a trail of featherlight kisses across to her mouth and gently pressed their lips together.

Resting their foreheads together, Bette tried to prevent the flood of tears that she knew was building.

"Will you…will you be mine, just for tonight?" she whispered.

"In here…" the blonde replied softly taking the brunette's hand and placing it over her heart "I'll always be yours"

The brunette nodded, kissing her softly again.

"Bette….take me to bed"

Taking hold of the blonde's hand, Bette stood and led her through to the bedroom. They stopped as they reached the bed, neither woman wanting to let go of the other for even a second.

The brunette reached out with her free hand and let it slide around the blonde's waist. She pulled her close and closed the gap between their mouths, kissing her tenderly. Their intertwined fingers finally separated so that the blonde could link her arms round the brunette's neck, and Bette could caress the blonde's exposed hip. The kisses remained gentle, neither woman wanting to hurry this moment.

"I need to see you" the brunette breathed.

The blonde nodded, lifting her arms into the air. They continued to kiss, only separating their mouths briefly to allow the brunette to lift off the blonde's top. Their lips rejoined as the brunette slid her hands down the newly exposed torso, taking account of the curves that she had come to know by heart. Her tongue brushed against the blonde's as she reached around her to unhook her bra, sliding it down her arms and casting it to one side. She let her hands roam freely over the blonde's back, pressing their bodies close.

Moving her hands to rest on Tina's hips, the brunette broke the kiss and took a step back, opening her eyes to look down her body.

"You are so beautiful T"

"No-one's ever looked at me the way you do"

The brunette slowly ran her hands up the blonde's naked sides, passing over her collarbone and up her neck.

"I want to remember every last bit of you" the brunette breathed.

The blonde placed her hands over the brunette's, slowly guiding them down her body. Bette whimpered as she felt her palms brush over the blonde's nipples, feeling how hard they were already. The blonde continued to guide their conjoined hands down over her stomach, letting the brunette stroke her soft skin. They looked into one another's eyes before kissing softly, both sets of fingers digging into the blonde's hips.

Separating her lips from the brunette's, the blonde turned and presented her with her naked back. Bette began to kiss her neck and shoulders as she massaged the muscular form of the woman that she loved so much. Slowly she began to lower herself to her knees, kissing her way down the blonde's back as she went. Her fingers hooked into the waistband of the blonde's sweatpants, pausing as if to silently ask for permission.

"Yes" the blonde whispered.

The brunette's fingers moved again, sliding down the sweatpants and underwear that were before her and waiting for the blonde to step out of them and kick them aside. She took a deep breath, admiring the naked body of the woman before her. Her hands ran up and down the sides of the blonde's thighs as she couldn't help but lean in and place a languid kiss on her toned ass. Her fingers dug into the flesh of the blonde's thighs as she kissed her again and again, loving the way that Tina's body trembled as she paid her ass such divine attention.

"Turn around" the brunette ordered.

The blonde swallowed and turned around slowly, looking down to see the brunette's face inches from her centre.

"Beautiful" Bette thought out loud.

She let her hands slide round to grip onto the blonde's ass, pulling her against her mouth. She immediately stuck out her tongue, letting it part the blonde's folds. Burying her face in her best friend's most intimate place, she slowly let her tongue explore, breathing in her scent.

"Oh fuck…" the blonde gasped, tangling her fingers into the brunette's hair.

The brunette began to suckle on her clit, causing her knees to go weak.

"I need…you…" Tina begged.

Understanding the blonde's need, the brunette slowly got to her feet, kissing her way up the perfectly formed body before her.

"Come here"

The blonde pulled the brunette to her, crashing their lips together. She was trying to keep things slow, but her desire for the woman in her arms was making that a difficult task. Slowly she unbuttoned the brunette's shirt, kissing across her collarbone as it was revealed to her hungry eyes. With the shirt thrown to one side, she ran her hands over the brunette's bra clad breasts. She unhooked the bra and let it fall to the floor, her mouth latching on to an erect nipple.

"Mmmm T" the brunette moaned, stroking the blonde's hair in encouragement.

The blonde rolled her tongue around the hardened nipple, sending shivers down the brunette's spine. She kissed her way across Bette's chest, flicking her tongue across her other nipple before taking it into her mouth and sucking on it. As the brunette stroked her hair she let her hands caress her toned stomach, working their way down to unbutton her pants. She sucked firmly on the nipple in her mouth, pulling down her pants and underwear.

Bette tugged on the blonde's arms, causing her to lift her head and let their mouths seek one another out again. She reached down to pull her clothes off the rest of the way and finally pulled the blonde firmly against her, sighing as their fully naked bodies came into contact with one another. Each of the wrapped an arm around the other's waist, pressing their bodies together firmly as their other hands grabbed at each other's hair.

Gently the brunette guided the blonde backwards until her legs came into contact with the bed. They broke their kiss briefly so that the blonde could sit down and shuffle backwards with the brunette crawling over her. Their lips crashed together again as the brunette lay between the blonde's legs, grinding her body up and down to apply pressure on the blonde's centre.

As her eyes stayed closed, losing herself in the kiss, the blonde felt something wet against her cheek. She opened her eyes and realised that the brunette was crying.

"Bette?" she asked softly, feeling her own tears begin to fall as she cupped the brunette's cheeks.

"I love you" the brunette sobbed.

Knowing that there were no more words that could be said, the blonde pulled the brunette's head back down and pressed their lips together firmly. Their mouths didn't move, they simply pushed hard against each other as their tears merged. Both women were breathing heavily through their noses as the brunette started to thrust herself wildly, the heat of her core burning into the blondes.

Feeling the brunette's desperate need, the blonde reached down and grabbed hold of her thigh, pulling it up. Bette understood and helped the movement, letting her leg straddle the blonde's. She felt the blonde bend her knee slightly, allowing her some friction against her aching core. All she could feel was Tina, and she began to grind her hips, her wetness spreading over the blonde's thigh. She finally pulled her lips from the blonde's, gasping for air as she turned her attention to the expanse of neck that the blonde had revealed to her.

"Fuck!" the blonde gasped.

She reached down and grabbed onto the brunette's ass, pulling her against her body. With every thrust of Bette's hips she felt a strong thigh pressing against her centre. They were moving desperately, clinging on to one another as their hips rocked back and forth. For the brunette, she was at the perfect angle and the freeness with which she rode the blonde's thigh was sending her to a high that she had never experienced before. This was about two lovers in a moment, a moment that they feared they would never have again. That knowledge somehow seemed to heighten every sense, and they were both panting as sweat coated their bodies.

"I need you…god I need you" Bette panted, propping herself up on one elbow as she ran her other hand up and down the blonde's free thigh.

The blonde understood that the need that the brunette was expressing wasn't sexual, it was a deeper need, a need for the connection that no-one else could replicate. She tried to push aside thoughts of tomorrow, and every day after that, and decided to live in that moment and that moment alone. Leaving one hand clutching the brunette's ass, she reached up grabbed the back of her neck, guiding the brunette's mouth back to hers once again.

There was nothing gentle about the kisses they shared, this was desperation, each woman determined that if this was the last time they got to connect on this level, they would say everything they needed to with their bodies.

Bette knew that she was getting close, she could feel the warmth spreading between her thighs as a tingling sensation made its way up her legs. She slid a hand under her own thigh and found the blonde's soaking core, easily sliding two fingers inside her.

"Fuck babe!" the blonde yelled, her hips rising off the bed to meet the brunette's thrusts.

The brunette was putting everything that her body had into pushing Tina over the edge. She rode her thigh with wild abandon as her fingers thrust in a matching rhythm into the blonde. Bette couldn't hold on any longer as she felt herself ascend to heights that only the blonde seemed able to take her. As the pleasure surged through her body she never stilled her hand, always aware that she needed to push the blonde over the edge. She bit down on the blonde's shoulder, causing her to cry out, but her cries were filled more with pleasure than pain. Just as the brunette's body began to relax she thrust deeply into the blonde and felt the woman beneath her begin to shake.

"OH MY FUCKING GODDDDDDD!" Tina exclaimed as her back arched off the bed.

As the blonde's muscles began to relax, the brunette sucked on her earlobe.

"Again….I need to take you again" she breathed.

The blonde tried in vain to protest, but her body's response to the renewed movement of the brunette's fingers gave away her desire. She felt those magic fingers curl up and hit her most sensitive spot as a thumb pressed down on her clit. Blindly she slid a hand between their heated bodies and found the brunette's drenched core. The woman above her lifted herself to allow two fingers to penetrate her.

"Fucccckkkkkk!" the brunette groaned.

Again the brunette's hips began to grind down against the blonde, this time feeling herself welcome inside two probing fingers.

"Take me…oh god take me…." the blonde chanted.

Needing to give the blonde feelings she would never forget, the brunette added another finger to her next thrust, causing Tina to spread her legs wider to accomodate the addition. She slowed her thrusts temporarily to allow the blonde to adjust, but as soon as she saw the creases in her brow disappear she increased her pace once again.

"More…I need more…" the brunette begged.

The blonde could never deny this woman when she begged, and willingly added another finger to the two she was driving up into the brunette. It was as though she could feel more of her when she added a third finger, feeling her digits press against the brunette's inner walls.

"Another…" the blonde whispered.

"Can you take it?" Bette panted.

"Yessss" hissed the blonde "I want you to fill me"

The brunette groaned as she added a fourth finger. Just as the blonde had asked, she really was filling her, feeling her centre stretch around the skillful fingers.

Desperately they crashed their mouths together, tongues dueling as each woman focused on the other's pleasure. Both were struggling with their breathing but they didn't care, this was about stimulating as many senses as possible. In any other situation their arms would have tired, but the intensity of the moment gave them both an energy boost that they didn't know they possessed.

Finally the lack of air was too much and they had to separate their mouths, but the brunette kept her forehead rested on the blonde's, their lips almost touching as their bodies rocked in time with one another.

"Together" the brunette grunted.

"Together" came the breathy confirmation from below her.

If it was possible, they drove deeper into one another, both determined to induce the other's pleasure before they gave in to their own. Neither was sure who gave in first, but almost simultaneously their muscles contracted and neither woman could hold back the cries of pleasure. They thrust their hips furiously and rode out the intense feelings that were coursing through their bodies. With a final shudder they stilled their movements, and almost immediately the emotional nature of the moment overwhelmed them and both women dissolved into tears.

They wrapped their limbs round each other, not wanting a single part of them to not be connected as the brunette buried her head in the blonde's neck.

"How do I let you go?" the brunette sobbed.

"Don't…don't let me go"

There was a moment of silence as they clung onto each other, taking account of every part of their body that was making contact with the other's.

"I will always always love you" Bette whispered.

"You're my world. Never forget that ok"

The tears flowed freely between the two women as they softly pressed their lips together. They rolled onto their sides, still clutching one another close. When they finally broke the kiss, the blonde tucked her head under the brunette's neck as she sought out the comfort that only one person had ever been able to provide her. Eventually the tears became too much and she drifted into perhaps the last truly comfortable sleep she was going to have.


	20. Chapter 20

The Big Day

A banging noise awake Tina from her peaceful sleep and she wrinkled her brow in confusion. She looked across the bed and found it empty, and a quick glance at the clock on the side told her that it was almost 10am, just two hours before her wedding was scheduled to begin.

"Shit!" she yelled, jumping out of bed.

She pulled on a robe and ran to answer the door, finding her three unimpressed bridesmaids.

"Hey guys" she said sheepishly, letting Alice, Dana and Helena into the house.

"What the hell took you so long? And why don't you look even vaguely ready?" Alice grilled her.

"Erm…maybe because I'm not"

"Where'd Bette go?" Helena asked.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Her cars not in the drive, what did you forget? I mean, we've got the dress" Alice said, holding up a large bag.

"She's gone? Shit!"

Tina ran back to the bedroom and emerged minutes later dressed in jeans and a tank top. She grabbed her car keys and headed to the door.

"Where the hell are you going now?" Alice called after her.

"I have to go, just…make yourself at home or something"

"Tina, you're getting married in two hours!" Dana yelled as the blonde disappeared out of the door.

"I don't care!"

The three women stared at one another in shock as they heard Tina's car pull out of the driveway. Alice, more than anyone, was frustrated at feeling like she was missing out on something huge.

As she pulled out into Bette's road, the blonde realised that she actually had no idea where she was going. _Come on Tina _she thought to herself _if you were Bette, where would you go?_

There were so many places that she could be, and the blonde didn't have time to check them all. Suddenly it dawned on her. Whenever Bette needed peace, she went to the park and sat by the fountain. She always described the statue in the middle as one of her favourite pieces of art, and said that the sounds of the water relaxed her. The blonde put her foot on the gas and sped off in the direction of the park. Her stomach was fluttering with nerves as she pulled up on a side road and jumped out. _Please be here please be here please be here she chanted in her head._

She was running through the trees in the direction of the fountain, willing herself not to trap over on a hidden tree stump or something equally stupid. As the fountain came into view, relief flooded through her body as she saw a familiar figure sat on the side of it, her feet dipping in the water.

"Bette!" she called as she covered the rest of the distance between them.

The brunette turned in shock at the sound of her name being called "T? What….why aren't you getting ready?"

"I needed to see you"

"Tina, the wedding…"

"Fuck the wedding"

"What?"

"You heard me"

"Tina" the brunette said softly, swinging her legs round so that she could stand up "I can't take any more of this….please just tell me what you mean"

The blonde stepped forwards and took Bette's hands into hers "I'm not getting married"

"Are…are you sure?"

A tear trickled down the blonde's cheek "I'm sure. I'm done with messing you around, I'm done with being confused. I was stupid and I let other things get in the way from me going for what I want"

"But what about your Mom? And Henry?"

"They don't matter as much as you. And I'm so sorry that I ever let it seem like they did"

"I can't get my head round this…"

"I've been an idiot, a complete fucking idiot. I've been searching round for answers, trying to put together all the pieces of some stupid puzzle, and the whole time, the missing piece has been right in front of me. I've never known anyone put me before themselves before, but you, you were willing to stand there and watch me get married if it was what I wanted. And I know that I can't even begin to make up for all the hurt I've caused you, but if you let me, I'd like to try" Tina took a deep breath, grateful to have all that off of her chest.

"Are you saying…"

"I want you, if you'll have me"

"And what happens if I say no?"

Fear spread across the blonde's face. She hadn't even contemplated that Bette would turn her down "Erm…I guess I'd have to spend my time trying to woo you"

"Woo me? It's not the 50s T" the brunette laughed.

"You know what I mean…seduce you, whatever"

"So you wouldn't marry Henry if I said no?"

"No" the blonde said confidently "that decision's made"

The brunette paused in contemplation before looking into the blonde's eyes, a smile spreading across her face "Well I guess it's a good job I'm willing to have you, isn't it?"

A matching grin formed on the blonde's face "Seriously?"

Bette pulled the blonde into her arms and kissed her deeply "Is that serious enough for you?"

"I think I need to try it again just to be sure"

The brunette just grinned as the blonde pressed their mouths together again. Their lips parted and their tongues brushed against one another, causing both women to moan.

"You know, I think I like the thought of you trying to seduce me though" the brunette breathed, her lips still in contact with the blonde's.

"Mmm that can still be arranged"

"Are you…really mine?" the brunette asked softly, running a hand down the blonde's cheek.

"I'm really yours" confirmed the blonde, sealing it with a kiss.

"T…in that case…I guess there's something you have a right to know now"

"Huh?" the blonde wrinkled her forehead in confusion.

"Last weekend…the girl at the club…"

"I don't think I want to hear about this…"

"Trust me…T I never slept with her ok? Nothing happened, I went home alone"

"Then why did you let me think you did?"

"Because just for a second I wanted you to feel how I felt. I wanted to make you jealous. I'm sorry, it was a low thing to do"

"No it's ok…I deserved it and it was a kick up the butt that I needed"

"I love you" Bette whispered, pulling the blonde into her arms.

"I love you too babe"

They stood, arms wrapped round one another as they listened to the peaceful sounds of the fountain that always relaxed the brunette.

"Bette?"

"Yeah?"

"I need to call my Mom…"

"Oh…ok…" the brunette pulled back.

"Hey" Tina pulled the brunette back into her "I promise, I just need to tell her that there's not gonna be a wedding. It doesn't matter what she says, ok? I want to be with you"

"Ok" the brunette agreed quietly.

"Will you hold me while I make the call?"

"Of course" Bette kissed the top of the blonde's head, her arms wrapped around her waist.

The blonde pulled her phone from her back pocket and dialled her Mom's number, resting her head against the brunette's chest.

"Mom?"

_"Christina! Is everything ok?"_

"Mom can you talk?"

_"I can but shouldn't you be getting ready?"_

"This is important, where are you?"

_"I'm in my hotel, I just got out the shower. If it's that important we can talk now"_

"I would come to you, but I don't think there's enough time"

_"Well sure, we can talk, what's going on?"_

"Mom….why didn't you tell me you were sick?"

_"Sick?"_

"Yeah, why didn't you tell me?"

_"Christina, I'm not sick…I'm fit as a fiddle! Where did you get that crazy idea from?"_

"What?"

_"I can promise you there's nothing wrong with me"_

"Holy f…..Mom, I gotta go"

_"Are you not gonna tell me what's going on?"_

"You'll find out Mom, I promise. Just know….know that I'm happy ok?"

_"This is all pretty confusing…"_

"Trust me, you can't be half as confused as I've been. But I know what I want and I'm gonna take it, just like you always said, huh Mom?"

_"Well yeah I guess…"_

"I'll see you at the church"

Tina hung up the phone before her mother had a chance to respond.

"T? What's going on?" the brunette asked, concerned.

"That fucking bastard! I swear to god I'm gonna kill him!"

"Who? T, please just tell me what's going on?"

"My Mom's not dying. That sick son of a bitch made it up!"

"Jesus!" the brunette exhaled "I never liked him, but I didn't think even he could stoop that low"

"He's gonna pay for this" the blonde snarled.

"What are you gonna do?"

"Watch and learn. No-one messes with Tina Kennard"

The blonde dialled another number on her phone and waited for a response.

"Hey baby girl"

"Hey Kit, where are you?"

"I'm just pulling up outside Bette's house, where the hell have you girls got to?"

"I'll explain later. Can you get the girls together and take them to the church?"

"Are they ready?"

"It doesn't matter, just take them as they are and we'll meet you there"

"What's going on?"

"Just trust me on this Kit"

"Is my sister with you?"

"Yeah she's here"

"Tina…am I gonna be happy about what's going down?"

"I hope so Kit, I hope so"

"Ok…I'm gonna trust you on this one"

"Thanks Kit. I'll see you soon"

Bette raised an eyebrow as the blonde hung up the phone. Tina held up a finger to indicate one moment and made another call.

"Hey TK, what's up?"

"Shane, are you at the church?"

"Yeah, me, Carmen and Jenny all just got here. What's up? Alice making you run late"

"Something like that. Listen, are there many people there"

"Yeah, it's filling up. Henry's here with his family"

"How does he look?"

"Tina, you know that's not my thing…"

"Not like that, I mean, how's he behaving?"

"Erm…I guess he looks pretty nervous, but isn't that normal?"

"Yeah, maybe. Listen, the girls are on their way, when they get there, can you make everyone sit down and make sure you guys are all at the back?"

"What?"

"Please"

"Oook it's your day…I'm taking it this is the bit where you say you'll tell me later?"

"Yeah it is…thanks Shane"

"No probs TK, I'll see you in a bit"

The blonde hung up the phone once more and tried to smile at the brunette, the tension still visible in her face.

"So what now?" Bette asked her.

"You and me have a church to get to. Can we drop my car back at yours on the way?"

"Whatever you want babe…are you gonna tell me what you're gonna do?"

"Think of this as the first grand gesture"


	21. Chapter 21

The church was filling up, albeit mainly with Henry's family and colleagues, with a few people from Tina's work for good measure. Her mother had arrived and was seated near Henry's family. As requested, when the group of bridesmaids arrived, with only Alice in her dress, Shane ushered them to a pew at the back where Carmen and Jenny were already seated.

At the front of the church, one of Henry's groomsmen nudged him and he turned and frowned at the sight of the women gathering at the back. He walked down the aisle and approached the pew, looking up and down at the women he despised.

"Where's Tina?" he asked harshly.

"Beats me" Alice responded.

"I'm sure these aren't the outfits she picked out for you" Henry nodded at Dana and Helena, who were dressed in jeans and vest tops.

"Actually, they are" Helena replied with a smirk.

"Do you have to make it so fucking obvious?" he hissed.

"Make what obvious?" Dana asked, the only one of the group who was genuinely confused at his question.

"I'm trying to have a perfectly normal wedding today, and there are a lot of important people here. Do you really have to turn up looking so….gay?"

"We look gay? Shane, any idea what he's talking about?" Helena mocked.

"Nope" Shane grinned, wiping down her tux "I don't see anyone looking gay round here"

"No we're all straight as they come" Carmen purred, turning her head and dragging her tongue up her girlfriend's outer ear.

"Stop that now!" Henry snapped in disgust.

"Or what?" Alice challenged him.

"Or I'll throw you all out"

"Listen Henry" Kit stood up, speaking firmly "we're here for Tina. So maybe you should just get back to your family and leave us to ours"

"Fine. Just don't you dare cause a scene" he snarled before storming back down the aisle.

The group of women stifled their laughs as they watched him return to his family.

"I sure hope TK and Porter get here soon so we can find out what the hell's going on" Alice piped up.

The room was filled with general chatter, until the doors to the church banged open. All heads spun to face the back as Tina and Bette walked in. Eyebrows raised at the sight of the bride and her maid of honour wearing jeans.

Henry stood and began to walk down the aisle towards his fiance.

"Tina?"

"Not what you were expecting?" the blonde retorted.

"What's going on?"

"Like you don't know"

"Let's go somewhere and talk"

"What, so you can lie to me some more? No, I'm sick of hiding, I wanna do this right here, right now, so that everybody we know can know the truth"

"Tina, please?" Henry hissed, embarassed at the scene being caused in front of the people from work.

"You all wanna know why we're here today? See that's my Mom over there" the blonde pointed at her mother "and Henry here, well he told me that my Mom was dying, and that her last wish was to see me marry him"

Murmurs of sympathy were heard around the room, with concerned glances being sent in Tina's mother's direction.

"But you know what I found out this morning?" Tina continued "My Mom's perfectly healthy. Not sick at all. It was one big lie"

The gasps from around the church were clearly audible, and the women at the back were having to restrain themselves from jumping up in anger.

"Tina, I can explain…"

"Go ahead, explain it. I can't wait to hear you try and worm your way out of this one…"

"I just needed to make sure that the wedding happened. I tried to stop you staying at her house" he glared at Bette "but you went anyway. And I knew she'd be filling your head with crap, so I had to find a way to get you back from her"

"For the record Henry, all Bette has ever done is care about me, even more than she cares about herself. Which is more than can be said for you. You're sick! You were willing to let me believe that my Mom, who I haven't seen in eight years, was dying, just so that I'd go through with a wedding that I didn't want!"

"But you did want it, at least until she dug her claws in"

"You know what, I tried to love you, I really did. But the truth is, I gave my heart away before I even met you. To a person who truly loves me, and was willing to let me go if it made me happy. Someone who values my happiness over their own, something you can't even begin to imagine"

"What the fuck Tina?"

"I'm in love with Bette, I've always been in love with Bette"

"I knew it, I knew that bitch was gonna try and turn you!" Henry yelled, trying to push past Tina.

"Don't you dare lay a hand on her" Bette warned from behind the blonde, her voice chillingly calm.

"It's ok babe, I got this" the blonde smiled gratefully behind her before turning back to her now ex-fiance.

"You're seriously leaving me for her?" Henry spat.

"As a matter of fact, yeah I am. But this isn't about Bette. Because even if she would never have me, and god, after everything I've put her through I don't deserve her, even then I wouldn't go through with this wedding. I don't love you Henry and I won't be treated like a second class citizen anymore. I deserve better than that"

"Come on Tina, you don't want that life"

"It IS my life Henry! You see these women here with me today? The one's you can't even bare to look at because they don't fit with your idealistic lifestyle? Well they're like my family and they're the most loyal, honest, genuine people you'll ever meet. You can stick with your fake, pompous, sycophantic friends seeing as that's what you aspire to be. But I chose something more than that, I chose the woman that's showed me what it really means to love someone. She's ten times the man you've ever been and that's without even having a god damn penis! So next time you insult 'those lesbians', you're insulting me too, because I've finally found the person that makes me happy, and that person happens to be a woman. Good luck with your judgmental, self absorbed life Henry. I hope these guys still see fit to promote you, I mean otherwise, what else will you have to brag about?"

Tina turned on her heels, pausing by the pew that her mother was seated at.

"Mom?" she said, lowering her voice from the way she was yelling at Henry "I'm sorry if I've let you down but I'm not gonna live like that anymore. I know this isn't exactly the reunion either of us had planned…"

"Well no….but we've got plenty of time to talk" the woman smiled up at her daughter nervously.

"We're getting out of here, you wanna come?"

"There's nothing else for me to stick around here for, so sure"

Tina walked down the rest of the aisle with Bette and her mother at her heels, fully aware that all eyes were on her. Her friends were on their feet and surrounded her as she reached the back of the church.

"You guys wanna get out of here?" she said to her friends.

"You best tell me everything Kennard!" Alice hissed at her.

The blonde laughed "I will, I'd just rather go somewhere where everyone's not staring at me"

"We can go back to my place if you like? The sun's shining, seems like a good day for a barbeque" Bette offered.

"Sounds perfect" Tina smiled at her, taking hold of her hand "Come on guys, we got a different kind of celebration to attend"


	22. Chapter 22

The sun was shining, the beer was flowing and Bette had started up the barbeque. Much to Alice's annoyance, Tina had yet to emerge from the house as she had remained inside with her mother when they had all arrived. It was killing Alice not to know all the details of what was going on, but despite her best efforts, Bette wasn't giving anything away.

In the living room, Tina and her mother were sat on the sofa. The younger Kennard was slowly sipping on a beer, but her mother had passed.

"It means a lot to me that you came with me Mom" Tina said honestly.

"I've got a lot of making up to do. That's why I came here, the wedding was just an excuse really. I'm here to start making things right with my little girl"

The younger blonde was holding back tears "I'm sorry that you had to hear everything that happened back there"

"Honestly? I'm not. I got to see the real you, who you've become. And I know you'd never have told me about Bette if I hadn't heard it in the church"

"How come your not yelling or storming out? No offense, but you always hated the fact I was even friends with the girls, let alone dating one of them"

"I suppose I deserve that. Christina…"

"Mom, if we're gonna talk properly, please call me Tina. Christina makes it sound like you're mad at me or something"

"Ok, I'm sorry, Tina…the thing is, and I don't expect you to believe me right away or change your opinion on me overnight, but what I said back then, it wasn't always what I truly felt"

"Mom, you guys put me through hell…"

"I know, and I know I can never go back and change that. But I need you to understand…your father has always held such strong beliefs about homosexuality, that I suppose I just let him push all of his beliefs onto me until I thought that he was right"

"So what's changed?"

"Your father and I…we're getting a divorce"

Tina just raised an eyebrow and nodded in contemplation, saying nothing.

"We've been fighting a lot and not seeing eye to eye…" her mother continued "it just wasn't working for either of us anymore. And now that I've had some time away from him, I've come to realise how terribly I behaved and how much I let him influence the way I thought and acted"

"You can't just change your beliefs overnight…"

"That's the thing. They never really were my beliefs. I was just too busy being the dutiful wife that I forgot that your father wasn't always right. You know the way your father and I were brought up…"

The younger Kennard nodded. She knew all too well the conservative southern views that her parents were raised with. It was only when she went away to college that she herself had discovered the diverse range of people who were out there, types of people that she had always heard her father and grandfather talk down about.

"And what about Charlotte?"

"She doesn't know I'm here. She's…I don't know…"

"Still pretending she's an only child?"

"You have to remember how your sister was raised, with the same views that your father tried to drill into you. Only she never got away from that. The only lifestyle she knows is the way everyone is back home"

"And what about you? How do you really feel about it all?"

"I'm not going to sit here and pretend that it won't take me a while to get used to, lesbianism just isn't something I've ever been exposed to. But it doesn't disgust me, and I don't have a problem with who you choose to be with so long as you're happy"

"Ok…well I guess that's a good way to start"

"So what do you say, do you think we can make a new start and rebuild some kind of relationship?"

Tina took a deep breath "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't still incredibly hurt over everything that's happened in the past. But I've had to put it behind me and get on with my life. And everything that I've put Bette through I'd be a hypocrite if I turned round and refused to give you a second chance. Things won't suddenly change overnight, but I would really like it if we could try"

A smile spread across the older woman's face "You don't know how glad I am to hear you say that"

"So you want to come and meet my friends properly?"

"I just need to visit the bathroom but I'll meet you outside"

Tina agreed and made her way out to the pool.

"Hey TK!" Alice jumped up excitedly "What happened, your Mom run off in disgust?"

"No" Tina said firmly "she went to the bathroom. We're trying to have a new start between us, and I know you guys are still protective of me after everything that's happened in the past, but I'd really like it if you'd try and give her a chance"

"If you're ok with her, then we're ok with her" Dana smiled before shooting a warning glance at Alice.

"Fine, I'll be nice" Alice huffed, taking a swig of her beer.

Tina smiled gratefully as the rest of her friends agreed with Dana, and made her way to the barbeque where Bette was piling on the burgers.

"Everything ok T?" the brunette asked softly.

The blonde smiled genuinely "Yeah, I think it just might be"

When Tina's mother stepped through the patio doors, she took a deep breath, fully aware that it wasn't just her daughter that she had to win over.

"Guys" Tina spoke up "this is my Mom. Mom, this is Kit, Alice, Dana, Helena, Shane, Carmen, Jenny and this here, is Bette"

"Mrs Kennard" the brunette greeted with a nod.

"Hi everyone" the older woman smiled at the group of women "please, call me Jackie. I wanted to say something so that it's out in the open….I know how awfully I've treated Tina in the past, and how badly I've spoken of most of you. But I'm here to try and make amends with my daughter, and I hope you'll all give me a chance to show you I'm not as terrible person as you think I am"

"Jackie" Shane spoke up "Tina's like family to us, and we'll always have her back. But if you're making an effort with her, then we'll do the same with you"

"I'm really grateful that Tina was able to find herself family like you when her own let her down"

The women were impressed by Jackie's statement, with even Alice looking like she might be won over.

"Hey Mrs K, you want a beer?" she offered.

"Well…I suppose I could have one"

As her friends welcomed her mother into the group, Tina turned to the brunette by her side and exhaled.

"T, are you sure that's your Mom?" Bette whispered.

The blonde just laughed.

"I'm serious! What happened to Mrs Ogre who told you you'd burn in hell for even speaking to us deviants?"

"She left Mr Ogre"

"Really?!" the brunette struggled to keep her voice down.

"Really what?" Alice asked, approaching the barbeque.

"Never mind" Bette muttered.

"So TK, you gonna fill me in on why I ended up looking like an idiot as the only bridesmaid in a dress at the church earlier?"

"Trust me, you didn't need any help looking like an idiot" Bette teased "and I would have thought your nosey self would have been listening intently to the conversation between Tina and Henry that kind of gave the situation away"

Alice chose to ignore the brunette and focused her attention on Tina "So I know that you and Bette are doing it, I just need you know, the rest of the damn story!"

"Alice, we are not 'doing it', as you put it" Tina retorted.

"You are so doing it. There's no way you two haven't bumped uglies"

"Al" Bette warned, trying to subtly nod at Tina's mother.

"Oh Mrs K doesn't mind, do you?" Alice asked gleefully.

"Umm…no?" Jackie responded nervously.

"Look, I said I'll tell you what's going on so I will, but using my words and not yours" Tina jumped in before Alice could embarrass her further "Basically I've been curious about my feelings for Bette for a very long time, and it turns out Bette's had feelings for me, but neither of us said anything until now"

"Could you make it sound any more boring? Come on, I want the juicy details!"

"Alice…" Dana tried to subdue her.

"Dane, this is Porter and TK we're talking about here. Are you seriously telling me you're not dying to know what's gone down?"

"Maybe they want to keep some of it between themselves" Helena spoke up.

Tina and Bette looked at one another and the brunette shrugged and nodded.

"Ok Al, you want the juice?" the blonde offered.

"Err, yes!"

"Ok, well it all started back in college…"

"College?!" Dana yelped, always the most oblivious of the group.

"Yeah college" the blonde chuckled "we had a bit too much to drink one night, and ended up kissing…"

"I knew it!" Alice jumped up and down excitedly "I knew that kiss the night you met Henry wasn't the first time for the two of you!"

"You want to hear the story or not Al?" Bette asked.

"Sorry, yes I'll be quiet I swear"

"Anyway" Tina continued "the next day neither of us knew how the other was feeling, so we just acted like it never happened and never mentioned it again, until.."

"Until" the brunette continued "I realised with the wedding coming up, it was now or never. I couldn't just let T get married without telling her how I felt"

"And then you did it?" Alice asked hopefully.

"Alice!" the entire group yelled.

"Well I'm stoked for you guys" Shane walked over to congratulate them "It's about bloody time!"

"And good riddance to Henry!" Helena added.

The rest of the women offered their congratulations and Tina smiled, slipping her arm around Bette's waist.

"So who wants a burger?"

Several hours and several packs of burgers later, the women were dotted around the garden. Dana and Alice had borrowed bikinis and joined Tina in the pool, and Bette was admiring from afar as she sat on a chair next to Shane and Carmen, who were sharing a lounger. Jenny had left, saying she needed to work on her writing, and Kit, Helena and Jackie were sat up on the steps out of the sun.

"So I'm guessing that grin won't be going away for a while now?" Shane teased Bette.

"Huh? What?"

"Ooh she's got it bad" Carmen joined in.

"Guys…"

"It's cute. But don't worry Porter, we won't tell anyone. Wouldn't want to ruin your rep" Shane joked.

Over on the steps, Jackie had got to her feet "I think it's about time I headed back to the hotel, the jet lags starting to kick in"

"I was thinking about getting off too, do you want a lift?" Kit offered.

"Oh you don't have to…"

"It's no problem. Besides, we're practically family now"

"Well thanks Kit, I'd appreciate that"

The two women said their goodbyes, with Tina getting out the pool to see her mother off and made arrangements to call her the following day. As she stood in her black bikini, dipping her toes in the water, she was fully aware that a certain brunette was staring at her.

"You like what you see Porter?" she teased, calling her on it.

The brunette's eyes widened, surprised to have been caught out. However, she recovered quickly to walk to the edge of the pool and respond "Oh I like, I like it a lot"

"Get a room you guys!" Alice yelled from the pool.

"Oh we've got a house full of rooms" Bette retorted "we just prefer it poolside"

"And anyway, I thought you wanted to know about us doing it?" Tina added.

Alice just stared at the two of them in shock, for once lost for words.

"So, you joining me for a swim?" Tina asked the brunette flirtatiously.

"I was enjoying the view from over there actually"

The blonde leant in so that only Bette could hear her "You sure? 'Cause I think I'd prefer to see you get wet"

Before Bette had a chance to respond, the blonde had jumped into the pool, taking the fully clothed brunette with her. The other women looked on in shock. The only other one of them who would dare do such a thing to Bette was Alice, and she would pay the price for weeks afterwards. Even Tina usually drew the line at picking on her best friend in such a way, but now things had changed between them. The group watched on in interest as the two women surfaced.

"You are so gonna pay for that…" the brunette practically growled.

The blonde smirked and wrapped her arms around Bette's neck "Oh I hope so"


	23. Chapter 23

The last of the guests had left for the evening and Bette was picking up the remaining beer bottles from out by the pool while Tina took a shower. She rinsed the bottles in the sink and put them out for recycling. Hearing that the shower had stopped, she took a seat on the sofa to wait for the blonde.

Several minutes later the bedroom door opened and soft footsteps padded across the carpet before the brunette felt two hands pressing down on her shoulders, firmly massaging them.

"Mmm what did I do to deserve this?"

"Well you did say you'd like me to seduce you…"

That peaked Bette's interest "Oh, and you plan on seducing me with your hands, do you?"

The blonde leant in so that her mouth was just behind the brunette's ear "I plan on seducing you with every bit of my body"

The brunette swallowed. She knew that this was a game in which both women would emerge victorious, but she would have to have some resiliance in order to reap the best rewards.

"See that feels good" Bette pointed out "but I don't just fall for anyone who gives me a good massage"

"I should hope not!" the blonde chuckled.

"You're gonna have to work harder than that T"

"I'll have you succumbing to my every whim before you even realise" the blonde breathed in her lover's ear.

The brunette took a deep breath. She was being issued a challenge, and there was nothing she liked better than winning a challenge. She folded her arms and smirked, waiting for the blonde to make her next move.

Slowly Tina walked across the room so that she was stood before the brunette in her robe. The whole scenario was exhilirating, and she could see the determination in the chocolate eyes before her. With her eyes fixed on the brunette's, she pulled on the cord of her robe, letting it hang open.

"You think I can be tempted that easily?" the brunette taunted.

The blonde didn't speak, but slowly let the robe fall to the floor, leaving her stood in just a lacy red underwear set. With one hand on her hip, she stood confidently before the brunette, letting the woman on the sofa look her up and down. Feeling chocolate eyes burning into her, she made her way around the coffee table so that she was stood directly in front of the brunette.

"You like?"

"Hmm" Bette pretended to contemplate the question, taking the opportunity to examine the perfectly formed blonde once again "I suppose it'll do"

The blonde raised an eyebrow "Perhaps you need a closer look?"

She confidently straddled the brunette's lap, fully aware that that placed her bra clad breasts just inches from the brunette's face. She braced herself by placing her hands against the back of the sofa, leaning over the brunette.

Bette clenched her fists by her sides, resisting the urge to reach out the soft mounds of flesh that were jutting out in front of her face. The temptation grew stronger as the blonde reached behind herself and unhooked her bra with one hand, letting it slide down to her forearms.

"You wanna take it off?" she purred.

"Nope" the brunette grinned "why would I wanna do that?"

The blonde raised her eyebrows as she leant up to cast her bra aside "Maybe to get a better look at these"

The brunette's eyes widened as the blonde leant back over, her naked breasts now hanging directly in front of her. Every bit of her body was willing her to tilt her head forwards and take a nipple into her mouth, but she was determined not to break.

"I…" the brunette breathed.

"Yeah?"

"I'm not that easy" she looked up with a grin.

The blonde was impressed with the resolve being shown by her lover. She had one final card to play. She got back onto her feet and slowly turned round. The brunette held her breath as she watched the beautiful woman before her slowly bend over and slide her underwear down to the floor.

It was time for Bette to take control. Before the blonde could stand up again, the brunette had taken hold of her hips.

"Stay" she commanded.

A shiver ran down the blonde's spine as she complied with the brunette's wishes, remaining bent over in front of her. She held onto the coffee table for support, not trusting her legs not to give way.

"So this is how you seduce me huh?"

The brunette smirked as she ran her hands up and down the backs of the blonde's thighs.

"It seems to be working" the blonde retorted breathily.

"It'd be rude not to take something that's laid on a plate for me"

"What makes you think you can just take me?"

"Spread your legs"

The blonde thought for a moment about refusing, but she wanted it too much. She moved her feet apart, spreading her thighs so that the brunette had a perfect eye level view of her core.

"Mmm now that really is laid on a plate"

The brunette licked her lips as she let her fingers brush between the blonde's legs. With even the lightest of touches she could feel how wet her lover was.

"So you like teasing me huh?"

"No"

"This tells me otherwise" Bette pointed out as she stretched out a finger, running it between the blonde's folds.

The blonde was completely at her lover's mercy. The power in the scenario had shifted completely, but she was more than willing to give herself to the brunette.

Bette began massaging the blonde's ass, pulling her cheeks apart to give her a better view of her centre.

"Fuck, you're so sexy" she breathed.

"Take me" the blonde begged.

"Mmm" the brunette leant in, placing a languid kiss on the blonde's ass cheek "I think it's my turn to tease first"

The blonde whimpered as she felt two very talented fingers exploring her core, stroking gently but not giving her the pressure that she craved. The brunette was spreading the wetness that she found, coating the blonde's throbbing clit but not building up enough of a rhythm to appease the woman before her.

"Please…"

"Uh uh…I'm taking my time with you"

Smirking even though the blonde couldn't see her, Bette began to stroke her fingers up and down her core, passing over her entrance. She watched the movements of her fingers, loving the way that the blonde's body responded to her. Grazing her teeth against the firm ass cheek, she let her fingers linger at her entrance, circling the soaking hole so as to tease her lover further.

"God Bette…please…."

Tina was rocking her hips back and forth, desperately trying to draw the brunette's fingers into her. Just when she thought she couldn't take the teasing anymore, she thrust her hips backwards and felt two fingers drive into her before holding still.

"Fuck!" she gasped.

"Is this what you want baby?" the brunette asked huskily.

"Yes….more….I want all of you…"

The brunette groaned. The way that the blonde simply gave herself to her turned her on beyond belief. She slowly began to slide her fingers in and out, feeling the blonde's inner walls welcome her movements. Closing her eyes for a moment, she let herself focus on the way that her lover felt around her fingers. Without even realising she was increasing the pace with which she was thrusting her fingers, causing the blonde to buck her hips.

"Bette…" the blonde whimpered.

The sound of Tina's voice caused the brunette to open her eyes and focus on the sight before her. She had always been a boob girl, but the sight of her lover's perfectly formed ass was too much for her to resist. She sunk her teeth in as she drove her fingers forwards, causing the blonde to yelp.

"Mmm let me kiss it better" the brunette moaned, kissing the spot that she had just bitten.

The moderate pain that the blonde had felt at the bite was soon was replaced by Bette's tongue running over her ass cheek. She jerked her hips back and forth, helping the brunette's fingers to reach deeper inside her. With each thrust of the brunette's fingers she could feel her kisses moving across her ass, soothing any pain and replacing it with pleasure.

As she began to drive her fingers harder into the blonde, the brunette let her tongue slip between her ass cheeks, probing tentatively.

"Oh my god!" Tina gasped.

The feeling of the brunette's tongue stimulating her sensitive nerve endings was unbelievable. She was in no position to even contemplate questioning the action, and instead allowed herself to be carried to a whole new level of pleasure. Her knees buckled as she felt the brunette curl her free arm around her body and let her fingers make contact with her clit. She managed to steady herself by gripping hard onto the coffee table, her head resting down against the cold surface. She was being completely and utterly taken by Bette, and she had never felt anything so heavenly.

The brunette was fully concentrated on bringing her lover pleasure, the circles that she was creating with her finger on the blonde's clit and her tongue against her ass finding a matching rhythm. With her arm wrapped around her lover's body, she was literally rocking herself in time with the blonde's hips as they moved as one.

"Fuck….Bette….fuck…." the blonde chanted.

Bette moaned against the blonde's ass. Hearing her lover's cries of pleasure always gave her goosebumps, and it encouraged her to further increase her thrusts.

"Fuck me…oh my god fuck me…"

They had passed the point of no return. Tina was antagonisingly close to orgasm, and the brunette was unrelenting in her thrusts. The blonde's cries were being muffled as she pressed her face down against the coffee table, feeling the pleasure building inside her. She felt secure with the brunette's arm around her and let herself go, her entire body spasming as she crashed over the edge.

"Bette…Jesus…" she panted, taking deep breaths as she slowly relaxed.

Smiling, the brunette eased her fingers out of her lover and guided her backwards so that she was sat on her lap. The blonde let her head fall back against the brunette's shoulder and felt two loving arms wrap around her. She sighed contentedly and closed her eyes, feeling completely safe and wanted in her lover's arms.

"I love you" Bette whispered, kissing the blonde on the cheek.

"Mmm I love you too" the blonde smiled, turning her head to kiss the brunette.

There was nothing tentative about their kisses as they opened their mouths to welcome in each other's tongues. The brunette groaned into the kiss as she felt the blonde's tongue flick against the roof of her mouth.

"You ok?" the blonde asked, her lips still resting against the brunette's.

"I have the sexiest woman in the world sitting naked on my lap, trust me T, ok doesn't even begin to describe it"

"Always the charmer Porter"

"Oh yeah? Well it seems to work"

"How's that?"

"It gets me to my favourite place every time"

The brunette smirked as she slid her hand down the blonde's stomach until it came to rest between her legs. Tina willingly parted her thighs and moaned softly as the brunette's fingers began to caress her clit. Her centre was still drenched and so the nimble fingers slid easily in circles around her hardened nub. As the blonde tilted her head back and groaned in pleasure, Bette moved her mouth to feast on her exposed neck. She quickly sought out the spot that drove the blonde wild and sucked hard on it.

"Be-ettteee!"

"Mmm" the brunette moaned into her neck "so fucking sexy"

The blonde forced her thighs further apart, once again giving her body to her lover. She lifted a hand to clutch onto the brunette's neck, wanting as much connection with her lover as possible. The fingers between her legs were circling her clit furiously, pressing down on it and sending jolts of pleasure through her body.

"Oh god…I'm gonna come again…babe…I'm gonna come…"

"Come for me" the brunette growled.

"Shiiii-iiiitttt"

The blonde's hips thrust up in the air as she shuddered, the orgasm causing her to jerk and stutter as her fingers dug into the brunette's neck. Bette winced at the pain in her neck, but it didn't stop her from continuing to kiss her way up to the blonde's ear. As Tina collapsed back against her, their lips pressed together and they both moaned.

"Wow" the blonde breathed, chuckling to herself.

"That good huh?"

"Uh huh…I'll have to seduce you more often"

"Feel free"

"I might just take you up on that"

The two women smiled and rested their heads together.

"So did you enjoy your big day?" the brunette asked jokingly.

The blonde lifted her head and raised an eyebrow.

Bette grimaced "Too soon for jokes?"

"Nah. You can joke as much as you like so long as you carry me to bed. I think you've broken me"

The brunette chuckled and scooped the blonde up and over her shoulder, getting to her feet "Done!"

"Bette!" the blonde yelped "I didn't mean like this!"

The brunette carried her down the hall and into the bedroom "Sorry Ma'am, you'll take what you're given"

"You're crazy" Tina giggled as she found herself being dropped on the bed.

"You love me just the way I am"

"True. Not get your clothes off and get your crazy sexy ass in here with me" the blonde ordered as she got under the covers.

"Yes Ma'am" the brunette gave a mock salute and stripped off her clothes before joining her lover in bed.

"Mmm this feels good" the blonde moaned as she cuddled up to the brunette.

"So did you ever imagine you'd spend your wedding night like this?"

"In bed with you? Like a million times"

The blonde blushed and hid her head in Bette's chest. Raising an eyebrow, the brunette contemplated questioning her further but decided that that was a conversation best saved for another occasion. Instead she settled herself down and let herself fall asleep as she held her lover tight against her body.


	24. Chapter 24

Tina awoke and smiled at the fact that she was still tangled up with the beautiful brunette who had become her lover. It wasn't often she woke up before Bette as she was a poor sleeper, but for once the brunette seemed completely at peace. She heard her lover whimper as she pulled away from her embrace, but after checking that the brunette had remained asleep, she got up and pulled on a robe, making her way through to the kitchen.

Twenty minutes later she had prepared a breakfast of bacon, eggs and waffles together with two large mugs of coffee. She placed them all on a tray and headed back into the bedroom with a smile on her face. When she pushed open the door she melted at the sight of her usually powerful lover curled up in the sheets, rubbing her eyes and letting out soft sighs as she blinked her eyes open.

"You are unbelievably cute" she couldn't help but observe.

"Hmm" the brunette pouted.

"You might be big bad ass Porter to the rest of the world, but to me you'll always be a big ol' softie"

Bette chose to ignore the last comment as she sat up in bed "Something smells good"

"That would be me" the blonde retorted, sticking out her tongue.

"T, I'd be a little worried if you started smelling of bacon"

"Hmm true. Here, this is for you" the blonde laid the tray down on her lover's lap.

"And where's yours?"

"Well I figured since we've shared just about everything else, you might wanna share your breakfast with me"

"Oh I see" the brunette raised an eyebrow "so this isn't all for me then"

"What's yours is mine babe" the blonde grinned.

"And what's yours is mine?" Bette questioned.

"Absolutely"

"So these are mine then" the brunette smirked, sliding a hand into the blonde's robe to caress her naked breast.

"Mmm yes" the blonde closed her eyes, revelling in the feeling of the brunette's fingers on her skin.

"Good to know" the brunette smirked, withdrawing her hand "but I wouldn't want to let this go cold"

Tina's eyes shot open "You're such a tease"

"Hey, you're the one who made all this food"

"Screw the food, I want you" the blonde tried to lift the tray from her lover's lap.

"Nope" the brunette held onto it firmly "I'm starving, and this looks too good to let it go to waste"

"Fine" the blonde huffed.

Bette chuckled and dug into the breakfast. She had been right, it was definitely too good to throw away. After a few mouthfuls she turned and offered a forkfull to the blonde beside her who was still pouting.

"Come on, it tastes good"

"I'd rather be tasting something else"

"T you need to eat. You'll need your strength for what I've got planned for you later"

The blonde immediately grabbed the fork that had been offered to her and after eating the first bite, helped herself to several more mouthfuls of the food that she had prepared. The brunette had to laugh at her sudden enthusiasm.

When the plate was clean and the coffee mugs empty, Bette set the tray down on the floor beside the bed.

"Come here" she said softly, pulling the blonde into her arms.

Tina willingly rolled her body onto the brunette's, letting their lips meet in a tender kiss. The blonde moaned and ran her tongue along her lover's bottom lip, immediately seeking entrance to the brunette's mouth. All it had taken was a few seconds of her lover caressing her breast, and she was already turned on. Bette parted her lips and welcomed in the blonde's tongue, letting her own tongue slide against it. Her hands roamed inside the blonde's robe, gently easing it back over her shoulders.

A loud banging coming from the direction of the front door caused the blonde to lift her head, frowning in frustration. The brunette tried to lift herself up on her elbow but found herself being pushed back down against the bed by the weight of the blonde's body.

"Ignore them, they'll go away" Tina whispered, pressing her lips against the sensitive spot on the brunette's neck.

Bette moaned, letting her hands run up and down the blonde's sides. She turned her head to capture her lover's lips in a seering kiss, their tongues immediately duelling as the passion between them escalated.

The banging returned, only this time it was more vigorous. The brunette groaned and let her head fall back against the pillow.

"I'm gonna have to get that T"

Begrudgingly, the blonde rolled off her lover, her robe falling open fully to expose her naked body.

"Ok but be quick, else I'll be forced to sort out this mess between my legs by myself"

"Mmm I'll be right back" the brunette leant over, planting a chaste kiss on the blonde's lips before getting up and pulling on her robe.

She made her way hurriedly to the front door, somewhat afraid that whoever was on the other side was going to bust the door in. She slid across the chain and pulled back the latch, opening the door. Her eyes widened when she saw the man on her doorstep.

"Where is she you bitch?" Henry slurred, trying to push his way past Bette.

"Stay away from her" the brunette grunted, trying to hold back the much larger man.

"Tinaaaa!" he yelled, finally shoving Bette out of the way and staggering into the living room.

"I suggest you leave my house right now" the brunette said firmly from behind him.

"What the fuck have you done with my fiancee? Tina!"

As soon as she had heard the commotion, the blonde had pulled her robe back on and now she emerged from the bedroom.

"Henry? What the hell are you doing here?"

The man stumbled towards her, his intoxicated state clearly the effect of a lengthy drinking bender. Tina put her hands on his shoulders, trying to keep him at a safe distance.

"Baby please….I need you…..you can't leave me Tina…."

"Henry I told you yesterday, we're done. Now I want you to respect my wishes and leave us all alone"

"Tina come on…" he reached for her, grabbing at the robe "we're so good together. She can't give you what you need"

The blonde jumped back, pulling the robe tight around her "Get out. Now!"

"I'll show you…I'll show you how much better I am…"

He lunged for the blonde but found his arm twisted up behind his back.

"Touch her again and you're a dead man" the brunette hissed menacingly in his ear.

"Get your dykey hands off me!" Henry yelled, thrashing about to attempt to escape from the brunette's grip.

Bette couldn't resist the temptation "The same dykey hands that give Tina more pleasure than you ever could with your dick?"

"Bette…" the blonde warned.

"Tina!" he yelled again as Bette pushed him towards the door "Get your bitch off me!"

The blonde followed them as they struggled to the open door.

"I told you Henry, I want you gone. I want you out of my life"

With a shove, Bette sent him stumbling out into the porch.

"You ever come back here and I'll see to it that you can never get an erection in that puny dick of yours again" the brunette threatened.

"This isn't over" he snarled "You'll pay for this. Both of you. Tina's mine and I won't let you brainwash her into your way of thinking. So watch your backs!"

After watching Henry stumble down the road, the brunette shut the door and rested against it sighing.

"T…"

Tina stepped behind her, wrapping her arms around her waist and resting her head between her shoulder blades.

"I'm sorry you had to deal with that" the blonde whispered.

"I'm sorry I said what I said"

"Don't be…"

The brunette lifted her head.

"…you're really hot when you get all macho and protective" the blonde continued.

"Tina…" Bette breathed.

She tried to turn round but found herself pinned to the door by her lover. She pressed her palms against the wood, giving the blonde full access to her body as nimble fingers separated the sides of her robe. Tina moaned as she ran her hands up and down the brunette's body, cupping her pert breasts before sliding down her stomach.

"Take off your robe" the blonde commanded huskily.

The brunette complied, letting her robe drop to the floor. As she felt the blonde's hands on her again, she whimpered.

"T…" she begged "I need to look at you"

The blonde relented and let her lover turn in her arms. As their eyes locked together, she pressed the brunette back against the door. Bette shivered at the sheer desire in her lover's eyes. She lowered her chin and their mouths pressed together in the hungriest of kisses. Tugging on the blonde's robe, she smirked into the kiss as she felt her lover comply and let it drop to the floor.

"Don't think that means you've got any power Porter" the blonde breathed against her lips "You're mine"

She lifted the brunette's thigh, wrapping her leg around her body as she buried her face into her neck. Bette groaned, tilting her head back to give the blonde more access as she clenched her thigh to help it stay in place.

"You know…I'm not letting you…out of my sight…" the brunette panted.

"Good" Tina grinned, flicking her tongue over her lover's earlobe "does that mean I get to stay here with you?"

"Do you…want to stay…with me?" Bette stammered, feeling the blonde sucking on her earlobe.

"Is that your way of asking me to move in with you?" the blonde breathed, her hot breath sending shivers down the brunette's spine as it hit the wetness that she had left on her earlobe.

The brunette blushed "Err…I just…I didn't want you to feel like…you had nowhere to stay…and…"

"Yes" the blonde interrupted, pressing her mouth firmly against her lover's.

"Yes?"

"Yes" Tina confirmed.

"Good…'cause I'm not sure I could have gone back to sleeping alone" the brunette admitted.

"It'll be you and me…naked…every night"

Bette groaned as she felt the blonde slide her free hand between their bodies and begin stroking up and down her core.

"You don't think…it's too soon?" she asked, struggling for breath as the blonde's fingers continued to tease her.

"I think it's eight years too late"

"T!" the brunette gasped.

She felt the teasing fingers probing at her entrance and let her head fall back against the door. The blonde smiled and kissed her lover's neck as she slowly pushed two fingers up into her.

"You know when you get all alpha…it makes me want to fuck you" she growled.

"God T…fuck me…"

"Yeah? You like it when I fuck you?"

Tina was smirking as she began to thrust her fingers in and out of the brunette, loving how easily she could reduce the usually dominant woman to a quivering wreck beneath her fingers.

"Yessss" the brunette hissed.

"You like it when I pin you to the door and have my way with you?"

"Yessss"

The blonde's fingers were thrusting into her hard and fast, causing the brunette to bang against the door.

"And it's all 'cause I'm the one who's really in control"

"Nuh…" the brunette protested.

"Oh so I'm not in control?" the blonde asked, stilling her fingers.

Bette's eyes shot open and she glared at her lover.

"I think you'll find that I'm completely in control of how and when you come" Tina smirked.

"I can come when I want" the brunette grunted, squirming to try and get the blonde's fingers to move.

"Oh I don't think so. You'll come when you've begged me to let you"

The brunette tried to deny it but she knew it was true. Tina had complete and utter control of her, and her body was at her lover's mercy. She bit her lip as the blonde resumed the movement of her fingers, thrusting into her using her own hips for added force. The blonde skillfully curled her fingers each time they entered the brunette, hitting the spot that caused her knees to buckle.

"T!" she gasped, digging her nails into the blonde's shoulders.

Tina sucked on her lover's neck, rhythmically driving her fingers in and out of her soaked core. She loved the way the brunette's wetness coated her fingers, and knew by the way that she was twitching that she was close.

"God…baby…ahhh that feels so good…"

"You look so sexy right now" the blonde murmured in her ear.

"T…I…I'm close"

As she heard those words, the blonde suddenly stilled her fingers. The brunette's eyes shot open in sheer confusion.

"You come when I say, remember?" Tina grinned.

"Tinaaaa!" the brunette growled.

"You know what I wanna hear…"

"Don't make me…"

The blonde flicked her fingers inside her lover, causing her to jerk, but not providing the pressure that she needed to take her over the edge.

"You wanna come, all you got to do is say the word baby"

Bette grunted, still desperate to cling onto the pretence that she had any power in this situation. But the throbbing between her legs was too much, her need to orgasm greater than her need for control.

"Please…please T, let me come" she whimpered "I'm begging you"

"Your wish is my command"

Tina kissed her lover deeply as she began to thrust her fingers once more, quicker than she had been doing before. The tips of her fingers were coming into contact with the brunette's gspot as she put every bit of strength that she had into making her lover scream.

"Oh fuck oh fuck….T…..T….I'm gonna….fuuuuuuuuccccckkkkk!"

Bette felt her standing leg giving way but found herself propped up firmly against the door by the blonde. She gasped for breath as she shook, an intense orgasm sweeping over her body. The blonde was moaning softly, kissing the brunette's neck.

"My hero" she murmured.

"You…" the brunette breathed "are getting way too cocky for your own good"

The blonde chuckled "You love it"

"Mmm hmm"

"So do I really get to stay?"

"I wouldn't let you go anywhere else" the brunette said softly, wrapping her arms round the blonde's waist.

"This is really happening isn't it? I'm really gonna get to be happy"

"If I have anything to do with it, then yes, you will"

"How do you feel about meeting my Mom for lunch?"

"I think I could manage that. When were you thinking?"

"In a few hours"

"A few hours huh? In that case, can I persuade you to join me back in bed?"

Tina grinned "Absolutely"


	25. Chapter 25

The two women entered the house and Bette dropped her keys on the table by the front door. They had spent several hours out at lunch with Tina's mother and even managed a litte shopping afterwards. The brunette had left them for an hour or so to make sure that they got the chance to say anything that they felt they couldn't say in front of her. The whole day had gone better than even Tina could have expected, and although her mother was leaving for South Carolina the next morning, they had promised to stay in touch and consider visiting in the future.

"God, how is it that shopping always manages to tire me out?" the blonde complained, kicking off her shoes and dropping her bags next to Bette's before collapsing onto the sofa.

"Because you have to go round every single store twice" Bette pointed out as she headed for the kitchen.

"I have to be sure that I'm getting the best stuff!"

"You want a coffee?" the brunette called.

"Yes please!"

In the kitchen the brunette was smiling to herself as she prepared two filter coffees. She had promised herself that for Tina's sake she would try to put aside the way her mother had behaved in the past and give her a second chance in the same way that her girlfriend was doing. And to her surprise, she had actually really enjoyed their lunch today. Tina's mother was softly spoken but intelligent, and clearly displayed many of her daughter's personality traits.

When the coffees were done she added two sugars to satisfy her girlfriend's sweet tooth and carried them through to the living room. As she saw the blonde reaching for the shopping bags by the sofa, she hurried over to put the mugs down.

"You never told me you bought stuff when you went off by yourself" the blonde said.

Bette's face flushed "Err it's nothing" as she tried to reach for the bag.

"You're nervous" Tina pointed out, pulling the bag away from her girlfriend.

"No I'm not…just…give me the bag T"

With a brow raised at her unusually uncomposed girlfriend, the blonde opened the bag and her eyes widened at the purchase that she pulled out.

"Is this…"

"Oh god" the brunette blushed "It's not what you think"

"You bought a strap on"

Bette was panicking. She hadn't intended on the blonde finding the toy, and she didn't want her to think that she was pressuring her in any way, nor trying to prove a point about what she had said to Henry. She stood there staring at her girlfriend, the worry evidence on her face.

"Don't you already have one of these?" the blonde asked, smiling to reassure the brunette that she wasn't mad.

"I threw it out" Bette said quietly.

"How come?"

The brunette was looking down, playing with the hem of her shirt "I wanted something new for you, that hadn't been used on anybody else"

"So you want to use a strap on with me huh?"

Bette was blushing profusely "No…I mean yes…but not right now…I mean…I'm not trying to push you or anything, I just figured I'd buy it while I was at the store and…"

"Bette" the blonde stood up and slid her hands over the brunette's hips, her face resting against her cheek so that her mouth was by her ear "I want you to use it on me"

The brunette groaned, her hands reaching out to grasp her lover's upper arms "You do?"

"Uh huh" Tina breathed, flicking her over the brunette's earlobe "Thinking about it's making me really hot"

"But I just made us coffee…" the brunette protested weakly.

The blonde tilted her head back and let out a low chuckle "So you'd rather drink coffee than fuck me?"

"No, I just…"

"Bette…" the blonde interrupted, placing a finger on her lover's lips "I think you should shut up and show me what you can do with this" she growled, picking up the strap on from the sofa.

The brunette couldn't back any longer, and let out a low growl as she crashed her mouth down against Tina's. With the strap on in her hand, the blonde wrapped her arms round her lover's body, pressing herself against the brunette in an attempt to show her just how turned on she was already. Bette's hands tangled in the blonde's hair, taking control of the kiss. While she had seemed reserved moments ago, she had every intention of taking charge of the situation and showing her lover just how skilled she could be.

The brunette broke the kiss only to lift the blonde and throw her over her shoulder.

"Bette!" Tina yelped.

"Sshh" Bette ordered, squeezing the blonde's ass "You want me to fuck you, I'm gonna do it my way"

"Oh god" the blonde whimpered.

She knew that she was about to experience the brunette in full alpha mode, and the mere thought of it sent tingles to her core. She found herself being carried through to the bedroom and thrown onto the bed. As she propped herself up on her elbows and looked up, she saw that the brunette's eyes had darkened with desire in the few short moments since they had kissed.

"I'm going in there" Bette nodded at the bathroom, taking the strap on from the blonde's hands "and when I come back, I want you naked"

Tina could only nod, swallowing in anticipation of what was to come as she watched her lover disappear and shut the door to the en suite bathroom. She hurriedly pulled off her clothes, not wanting to disobey the brunette's commands. Lying back down on the bed, she waited somewhat impatiently, sure that her lover was dragging it out on purpose just to tease her.

"Fuck" the blonde couldn't help but exhale when Bette finally emerged.

The brunette strode confidently into the room, naked except for the black harness around her hips that was securing the purple toy that hung between her legs.

"You look fucking hot" the blonde told her.

"Hotter than a guy?" the brunette asked teasingly.

"Fuck yes"

"Spread your legs"

The blonde swallowed at the huskiness in her lover's voice. There was no doubt who was in command tonight. She kept herself propped up on her elbows so that her eyes remained focused on the brunette.

"Now" Bette commanded.

Tina slowly moved her feet apart, opening herself to the brunette. Her lover's eyes were staring hungrily between her legs as her centre came into view.

"More"

The blonde whimpered, completely helpless to resist the brunette's commands. She slid her feet further apart until her thighs were as wide as she could comfortably get them.

"God I can't wait to fuck you" Bette moaned, licking her lips in anticipation.

"Get over here and fuck me then"

The brunette 's eyebrows shot up "I hope you're not trying to tell me what to do"

The blonde shook her head vigorously, knowing that she had to remain submissive in order to gain the most pleasure from this scenario.

"Touch yourself"

Tina's brow furrowed in confusion.

"I'm not fucking you until you're wet for me"

Groaning, the blonde slid a hand down her body to her centre. Inwardly, she was smiling. Although the brunette was in full alpha mode, it was clear that she was still truly thinking of Tina's needs. No-one had ever demanded that she be wet before they fucked her, and she knew that it wasn't really for Bette's benefit that she was demanding it.

As her fingers made contact with her own core, the blonde found herself already wet from simply the thought of Bette touching her. She reached down to cover her fingers in wetness, spreading it around her clit as she started a circular motion. She could feel the brunette's eyes burning into her, focusing intently on her actions. This only spurred her on more and she increased the pace of her movements.

Bette couldn't keep her distance any longer, and crawled onto the bed between the blonde's legs. She lowered her head, drinking in the scent of her lover as she nudged her finger's away with her nose. Her tongue immediately sought out the blonde's clit, lapping at it in an effort to turn her lover on even further.

"Mmm Bette" Tina moaned, her hand stroking the brunette's hair in encouragement.

The brunette was in her own personal heaven, sucking the blonde's clit into her mouth as her nails scratched up her inner thighs. Just as Tina was beginning to lose herself she felt the ministrations on her clit stop. Her eyes shot open and she saw the brunette grinning at her wickedly.

"I think you're ready"

The blonde could only murmur as she watched Bette kneel up between her legs, holding her thighs apart as she crawled up her body. She could feel the toy pressing against her as the brunette leant down to kiss her. Lifting her head, she let their mouths join in a battle of tongues as she rocked her hips, showing her desperation to the brunette.

Easing the blonde's head back down against the bed, Bette continued kissing her as she propped herself up on one elbow and reached her other hand between their bodies. She took the toy in her hand and guided it to Tina's entrance. The blonde moaned into the kiss as she felt the toy pushing into her.

"Are you ready for me?" the brunette breathed, kissing her way down the blonde's neck.

"Yesss" Tina hissed.

Bette smirked into the blonde's neck as she slowly guided the toy into her. She could feel her lover holding her breath as she let herself take in the first two inches.

"Is that ok?" the brunette asked tenderly, breaking from her controlling mode for a second.

"It feels good" the blonde breathed.

That was all that the brunette needed to hear. She pulled up the blonde's legs, bending them up to give her better access as she pressed down with her hips, letting the toy fill her completely.

"Shiiiiiiit"

The brunette held still, letting Tina's body adjust to the toy inside her. Once she had felt the blonde's muscles relax, she let their lips press together once again, hearing a whimpering sound from her lover's throat that only a woman can make. With the blonde's feet still in the air, she placed her forearms on either side of Tina's head and kissed her hungrily. Her hips began to thrust, moving the toy in and out of the blonde with ease.

"Oh my god!" the blonde groaned, her back arching as she let her own hips match Bette's rhythm.

"Does that feel good?" the brunette asked huskily, sucking on the blonde's earlobe.

"Fuck me Bette, please fuck me!" Tina begged.

Bette groaned. She hooked one hand under one of the blonde's thighs to give herself more leverage, thrusting harder into her. Their mouths came together in careless kisses, teeth and tongues colliding, but neither cared. As both women began panting more heavily, they gave up on kissing and the brunette simply let her head hover just above the blonde's. She tried to focus her eyes on the blonde's face, loving the way it contorted in pleasure every time she thrust into her.

Tina was in heaven. She had never been fucked like this before in her life. Perhaps it was the fact that the brunette was concerned only with her pleasure, but the way her hips moved was driving her crazy. Each time that the toy filled her she felt the brunette's body pressing against her thighs and she ached to feel more of her skin. She moved her feet out to the side so that her legs remained spread but her feet were back on the bed, allowing Bette's naked body to press down against hers.

"Oh fuck yes" she breathed.

The brunette had to adjust her movements, but found that rolling her hips caused the blonde to gasp. Their breasts were rubbing against one another as once again she sought out Tina's mouth with her own. One of the blonde's hands gripped the brunette's neck, keeping her close as their tongues duelled frantically. Her other hand scratched down her lover's back before gripping onto her ass, encouraging her to plunge deeper into her. She wrapped her legs around the brunette, locking their bodies together firmly.

Bette groaned into the blonde's mouth, loving the closeness of their bodies. She could feel Tina's nails scratching up her back once again and it caused her to shiver and thrust her hips more forcefully.

The blonde's head hung back against the bed, feeling as though the breath was being knocked out of her chest with every thrust of the brunette's hips.

"Uh…uh…uh….ffffuck…uh…babe…uh" she stuttered, her exclamations punctuated with the jerks of her body.

The two women's bodies were glistening with sweat as they moved together as one. Bette herself was grunting with the efforts that her thrusts were taking, but she wouldn't have it any other way. She wanted to put everything she had into pleasuring the woman below her. All she wanted was to see the incomparable look of satisfaction spreading over her face.

Luckily for her she didn't have to wait long. Her unrelenting thrusts were hitting the right spot in Tina every time, and the blonde was digging her nails into the brunette's back. She was beyond speech, and simply cried out as intense shockwaves flooded through her. Her back arched up off the bed, and the brunette could feel every jolt of pleasure as they clung together, hips rocking as the blonde rode out the last of the orgasm.

Tina momentarily stopped breathing as the two women fell back against the bed, still pressed together. She eventually gasped for air, but as the brunette tried to lift up off of her, she clutched onto her back, ensuring that they remained in close contact. Bette smiled and let her head come to rest in the crook of the blonde's neck, her fingertip tracing the outline of her collarbone.

"You…are the master…of that…" the blonde breathed.

The brunette chuckled "Why thank you"

"Much as I love it, do you think you could…"

"Of course"

Bette lifted herself up and removed the harness, leaving the toy beside them on the bed and climbing back on top of the blonde.

"You know that I'm gonna want to use that on you, don't you?" the blonde smirked, running a hand through her lover's hair.

"Hmm"

"What?"

"I…I've never let anyone use one on me before" the brunette blushed into the blonde's chest.

"Never?!"

Bette shook her head.

"Wow…but you've slept with like…"

"Don't even go there!" the brunette warned.

"But you've seriously never been fucked with a strap on?"

"Nope"

"So….it's like I'm a more experienced lesbian than you now then huh?"

The brunette lifted her head and looked at the blonde witheringly.

"I'm kidding babe. But I'm not kidding about wanting to use it on you"

Bette concentrated on trailing her fingertip along the blonde's clavicle before speaking softly "Ok"

"Yeah?"

The brunette looked up shyly "Yeah"

"I love you. And I promise you won't regret it"

"I love you too"

The two women kissed softly, their tongues gently caressing one another before breaking apart so that the brunette could snuggle into the blonde again.

"Babe?" Tina asked softly.

"Yeah?"

"Do you have plans for this week?"

"Not really. Do you?"

"Well I was kinda supposed to be on my honeymoon so I've got a fair bit of free time"

"Ohhh yeah. Well…I've got to go to work tomorrow but I'd already warned them I might not be in much this week. Kind of pre-empted the fact that I might be moping around slash getting hideously drunk. So if you fancy some company I could make myself available"

"I'd like that. Maybe you'd even let me take you on a date?" the blonde asked hopefully.

"Hmm maybe"

"You really don't like not being in control do you?"

"No"

Tina laughed "Well I'm afraid you're gonna have to let me be in charge sometimes"

"Just so long as it's not too often" the brunette huffed.

"We'll see"


	26. Chapter 26

Bette got out of a cab outside a restaurant that she had surprisingly never visited before. She had followed Tina's earlier text instructions to the letter and was exactly on time.

Meet me at Angelo's at 7.30 and wear a dress. Drop your car at home and take a cab. And this my darling, is me taking control :)

She had frowned at being dictated to but knew there was no point arguing. Her girlfriend wanted to take her on a date, and who was she to refuse? Besides, Tina had always had great taste in restaurants, and by the look of this place, she wasn't going to be disappointed.

Pushing open the door to the restaurant, she looked around for any sight of the blonde. She was dead on time as usual, but couldn't spot her girlfriend anywhere. Making her way to the maitre d', she looked around at the decor and was suitably impressed.

"Good evening madam, do you have a reservation?" the young man asked.

"I think so, it'd be under the name Tina Kennard"

"Very good madam, the other member of your party is already here so let me show you to your table"

She followed the maitre d' through into the main body of the restaurant and smiled when she set her eyes on the woman she had been thinking about all day at work. The maitre d' pulled out her chair for her and she thanked him before sitting down opposite the blonde.

"Can I get you ladies something to drink?"

"You want wine T?"

"Yeah, I was just waiting to make sure did as well before I ordered a bottle. Err we'll take…" Tina paused, perusing the wine list "a bottle of the Barollo please"

Bette nodded her head in approval.

"Very good madam, I'll have it brought over to you in just a moment"

Finally the two women were alone.

"Nice dress. I approve very much" the blonde smirked, letting her eyes wander over the bruentte's body.

"You know you're the only person who gets away with ordering me around like that"

"Oh I know" Tina grinned cheekily.

"So how did you hear about this place?"

"Someone at work recommended it, and I figured, if it was new to me, it probably was to you too. So here we are"

"Well I'm impressed"

Bette considered herself somewhat of a connoisseur, so it took some doing to find a restaurant in WeHo that she hadn't tried or at least heard of.

"I'm told that the linguine is something of a speciality"

"Well in that case, I shall defer to your superior judgement and let you order for me"

The blonde raised an eyebrow "You're really getting into this letting me be in charge thing, aren't you?"

"Well I figured if I'm gonna do it, I might as well go the whole way"

A waiter approached their table, and true to her word, Bette let Tina order for her. Fifteen minutes later both women had a large plate of seafood linguine in front of them accompanied by the wine that the blonde had chosen.

"Mmm ok, I'm definitely letting you order more often" the brunette moaned after she had taken her first mouthful.

The blonde nodded in agreement "Definitely the right choice"

"So what have you been up to today?"

"Well, I cleaned the house, and then got myself ready for tonight"

"My perfect little housewife" Bette teased.

"Don't you be getting too used to it" the blonde warned "How was work?"

"A bit manic, but it meant I got everything done that I needed to"

"Does that mean I get the pleasure of your company this week?"

"Well I can take the rest of the week off. We'll see how tonight goes before I decide if I'm spending it with you"

"Oh it's like that is it"

"Uh huh" the brunette grinned.

"I guess I'd better make sure it's a night to remember then"

"Oh I'm sure you'll manage"

The conversation remained light throughout the meal as both women simply enjoyed being in one another's company. The fact that it was their first date wasn't lost on either woman, but they chose not to mention it in order not to pile on added pressure.

When the waiter returned to clear their plates and asked if they wanted dessert, both women declined and Tina requested the bill.

"T? It's not like you to not go for dessert"

"It's all part of the plan babe"

Bette held up her hands in agreement to ask no further questions. She had to bite her tongue not to try and pay the bill, but she knew that this was Tina's night. Letting herself be taken care of wasn't something that she was used to, but the blonde was the only woman who she'd ever even considered submitting to in that way.

"Do I take it that the night isn't over?" she asked as they left the restaurant.

"It's only just beginning babe"

Tina led the way to her car and surprised the brunette by opening the passenger door for her. Bette smiled softly and kissed the blonde on the cheek before getting into the car.

"Do I get to ask where we're going?" she asked once the blonde had got in to the driver's seat.

"Ice cream" the blonde replied with a childlike grin.

"Ice cream?"

"Yep. The best ice cream in town"

Tina drove them to an ice cream parlour not far from where she worked and got out of the car excitedly. She led the brunette in, and Bette couldn't quite believe the selection of flavours that were available.

"Ok, you're definitely gonna have to pick for me else we'll be here all night"

The blonde grinned and approached the counter "Two cones please, one with strawberry cheesecake and one with pecan fudge"

She paid the woman behind the counter and took the two cones, turning and offering the strawberry one to Bette.

"Good choice?" she asked as she watched the brunette take a big lick.

"Oh yeah"

They sat on stools at the front of the parlour and watched passers by as they ate their ice creams.

"So how many days a week do you come in here?" the brunette asked teasingly.

"I treat myself every now and again. Not as often as you're thinking!"

Bette watched in amazement as the blonde finished her cone, while she still had half of it to go "Your sweet tooth satiated then?"

"Yep" the blonde grinned, leaning in to whisper in the brunette's ear "the rest of me isn't though"

The brunette raised an eyebrow and finished the rest of her cone in record time. They thanked the parlour owner and headed back to the car, with Tina immediately speeding off back in the direction that they had come from. About a mile before the restaurant she took a left hand turn and Bette recognised the park near her home where the blonde had found her on her wedding day.

"What are we doing here?"

"I thought we could take an evening stroll, and I figured where better than here?"

The brunette smiled "You're very cute"

"I prefer romantic"

"You can be both"

Bette unfastened her seatbelt and leaned over, cupping the blonde's cheek and kissing her tenderly. Tina responded to the kiss by turning her body slightly and sliding her hands into the brunette's hair. The brunette popped her girlfriend's seatbelt, leaning further over her to deepen the kiss. She let her hands roam up and down her linen covered thighs, sighing at the way the blonde parted her legs in encouragement. As her fingers brushed between her girlfriends legs, she felt an unexpected bulge and her eyes shot open.

"T?"

"Yeah?" the blonde panted slightly, already aroused by her girlfriend's caresses.

"You wanna explain this?" the brunette raised her eyebrows, grabbing the bulge between Tina's legs.

"I don't think it really needs any explanation"

"And what makes you think I put out on a first date?" Bette teased.

"I'd say the fact that your hand was between my legs in the first place"

The brunette squeezed the bulge again, pressing her lips back against the blonde's. Their tongues immediately brushed against one another and they deepened the kiss, the hunger between the two of them escalating.

"Take off your underwear" the blonde breathed against her lover's lips.

"Huh?"

"Do it"

Bette sat back in her seat for a moment, pulling off her underwear as the blonde slid her seat back so that it was as far away from the steering wheel as possible. The request for the brunette to wear a dress was suddenly making a lot of sense. She bit her lip and watched as the blonde unfastened her pants to free the strap on that had been so well concealed. The brunette swallowed, feeling the wetness pooling between her legs. She had never trusted anyone else to use a strap on on her, but Tina was different to every woman that had come before her.

"Come here" the blonde ordered huskily.

It wasn't the most graceful manoeuvre she had ever performed, but the brunette clambered over the gear stick and straddled the blonde's lap, looking down at her with lust filled eyes. Slowly Tina slid her hands up the sides of the brunette's thighs, moving her dress up until it was bunched around her waist. With one hand holding up the dress, she moved her other hand between the brunette's legs and let her fingers seek out her clit.

"T…" Bette breathed, closing her eyes as she felt the blonde's fingers stroking her.

"Mmm you're wet already"

"You make me wet"

"Does the thought of me fucking you make you wet?"

"Mmm yes" the brunette exhaled, feeling the blonde applying more pressure on her clit.

"Are you gonna ride me?"

Bette groaned and opened her eyes, her pupils fully dilated. It was a scenario she'd played over and over in her head previously, but never dared speak of it. She hadn't wanted to admit that such a thing turned her on, to her it wasn't at all in keeping with her usually controlling nature, but there was something so carnal about it that she just wanted to have Tina fuck her until she screamed.

"Lower yourself babe"

The brunette held her breath as she pushed her knees out to the edges of the seat and began to lower herself onto the toy. As she felt it pressing into her she exhaled, deliberately spreading herself wider.

"Can you take it all?" Tina rasped.

"God yes"

To prove her point, Bette pushed herself down hard onto the toy, shamelessly enjoying the slight pain she felt as it stretched her.

"Fuck!" she gasped.

"Does that feel good baby?"

"Yesssss" the brunette hissed.

"Ride me, show me how much you need to be fucked"

The brunette let out a low groan and began to rock her hips, getting herself used to the way that the toy felt inside her. She could feel her wetness coating it, and once she felt that she was fully adjusted she began to lift up and down, sliding herself over the firm toy. She pressed her mouth firmly against the blondes as she began to bounce up and down, completely letting herself go.

"Goodddd" she groaned against the blonde's lips.

Tina gripped onto the brunette's hips, guiding her up and down as she rode the toy. They kissed desperately as she tried to thrust her own hips, adding to the force with which the brunette was impaling herself on it.

"Oh shit!" Bette yelped.

The toy was hitting the right spot and she hung her head back as she continued to bounce. She immediately felt the blonde's mouth latching onto her neck, sucking before licking at it wildly. She gripped onto the headrest, arching her back to allow the toy to press on a different spot.

Tina moaned as she saw the brunette arch backwards, causing her bouncing cleavage to come into her eyeline. She buried her face in it, kissing her breasts as she continued to encourage her enthusiastic motions.

Just as she thought the pleasure she was feeling couldn't get more intense, Bette felt the blonde's finger seek out her clit again and begin rubbing it.

"Tinaaaaaaa"

"That's it baby, ride me, ride me so fucking hard"

"Ahhhh you fuck so good…"

"Feel it babe, feel me inside you"

"I'm yours, oh god I'm yours T"

"Come…come for me"

The brunette's knuckles whitened as she gripped the headrest tighter, her head flung back in ecstasy. Her screams of pleasure pierced the night air as her body spasmed in waves. Eventually she stilled, relying on the blonde to keep her held up. She slowly lifted her head and her eyes fluttered open, her gaze finally focusing on Tina's.

"I can't believe you just fucked me in the front seat of your car" she laughed.

"And all that from a girl who doesn't put out on a first date"

Bette swatted her girlfriend playfully, before slowly lifting herself off of the toy and across onto her own seat.

"You ready for that walk?" Tina asked.

"You think I can walk right now?"

"I'll hold you up"

The brunette rolled her eyes and reached down to pick up her underwear from the floor.

"No" the blonde stopped her "keep them off"

"You want me to go for a walk commando?"

"Yep" Tina smirked, zipping up her pants over the toy "in fact I insist"

The two women got out of the car, and true to her word, the blonde wrapped her arm around the brunette's waist to support her. They began to stroll through the park, stopping to appreciate the fountain and the significance it held for the pair of them.

"Can you believe it was only two days ago that I found you here?" Tina mused quietly.

"I know it's crazy, it seems like forever ago"

"I'm boring you already then?"

"Never" Bette grinned, wrapping her arms round her lover's waist.

"Come on" the blonde tugged on the brunette's arm.

"Are you dragging me away into the bushes to have your way with me?"

"No…to the bushes part anyway" Tina stuck out her tongue.

"T…" the brunette attempted to protest, but found herself being pulled away nonetheless.

Without saying another word, the blonde dragged her lover to a bench in a more secluded part of the park. She pulled the brunette into her body and kissed her hungrily, her tongue flicking out to tease her. Her hand slid under Bette's dress, kneading her ass as she pressed their bodies together.

"You weren't kidding about having your way with me, were you?" the brunette rasped.

"Nope"

Bette just rolled her eyes and sought out the blonde's lips with her own once again. As she felt Tina lifting her dress, she moved her hands to her waist and unzipped her pants, freeing the toy once again.

"Turn around" the blonde commanded huskily.

The brunette could feel herself shivering as she did as she was told. She felt the blonde behind her, guiding her over to the end of the bench.

"Bend over"

"Teeee" she whined.

"You'll enjoy it, I promise"

Bette nodded and slowly bent over, gripping onto the arm of the bench. She felt her dress being lifted up to her waist, and the night air hit her ass and teased between her legs. There was a confidence about the blonde as she gripped onto the brunette's naked hips, tugging her back forcefully. The brunette began squirming as the toy pressed against her but didn't enter her.

"Quit squirming or it'll end up in your ass" the blonde warned.

"There is no way the first time I have anal sex is gonna be bent over a park bench" the brunette hissed.

"But you would…have it with me?"

Bette blushed profusely, having not quite realised what she'd said "Err…no…"

"We'll see baby…for now I just wanna fuck you"

The brunette groaned as she finally felt the toy pressing against her entrance.

"Do it…fuck me T"

With her hands firmly gripping onto the brunette's hips, the blonde pushed forwards, easing the toy into her. Bette moved her feet apart to make it easier for her lover, and was rewarded by the feeling of the blonde's body pressing up against her, the toy filling her completely.

"Shit baby" she gasped.

As she slowly grew in confidence, Tina began to withdraw the toy slightly before pushing it back into her lover. With each thrust she pulled out further, allowing her to plunge deeper into the brunette. Before long she had established a steady rhythm, her hips thrusting hard against her lover as she heard her panting. It felt so natural to take Bette this way, to really claim her as hers.

"Fuuccckkkk fuck fuck fuck" the brunette grunted, gripping down on the bench firmly.

"That's it babe…let it all go"

"T….touch my clit…please" Bette begged.

The blonde slid one hand around the brunette's body, seeking out her swollen clit. She began to circle it wildly, her hips still thrusting forcefully.

"Like that?"

"Oh god baby…just like that…fuck you feel so good"

Her earlier orgasm had left the brunette in an intense state of arousal, and she hated to admit it, but the way that the blonde had taken control of her was a serious turn on. She pushed her hips backwards, her body colliding with the blonde's repeatedly. Tina lowered her pants so that the brunette could feel their naked thighs pressing together and it caused Bette to cry out.

"Oh fuck T….oh fuck…I'm gonna…."

The brunette let out a strangled cry, attempting to smother the sound by biting down on her own hand. She felt the blonde continuing to pound into her as she rode out the orgasm, collapsing over the bench as she struggled for breath. As soon as she saw Bette slump over, the blonde pulled out of her and zipped up her pants. She slid the brunette's dress back over her ass, taking the time to caress it as she did so.

"Come here" she said lovingly, pulling her girlfriend upright to lean back against her.

Bette staggered back slightly before settling into the blonde's embrace. She covered her lover's arms with her own and let herself relax, her breathing slowly recovering.

"You ok?" the blonde whispered.

"I feel like I'm high"

Tina chuckled "Well I promise you, I haven't drugged you"

"Mmm" the brunette moaned contentedly, turning in her lover's arms and cuddling up to her "take me home?"

"Come on, let's get you to bed"

"I'll go wherever you take me"

"I might just hold you to that" the blonde laughed, taking the brunette's hand and leading her back to the car.

"Right now you could probably get me to agree to anything"

"A massage every night?"

"Yep"

"Waking me up with sex every morning?"

"Definitely"

"Cooking me dinner?"

"Hey, there's a line. I wouldn't want to poison you"

"Damn, not so easy after all"


	27. Chapter 27

Bette stirred and smiled as she felt her lover's naked body pressed against hers. She blinked her eyes open and her smile widened as she realised that she'd ended up with her head against the blonde's chest. Her gaze wandered over the fullness of her naked breasts, and she softly cupped one in her hand. Unable to resist, she leant her head in and began to gently suckle on her nipple.

Still half asleep, Tina sighed and tangled a hand in the brunette's curls. She subconsciously arched her back, offering her chest further to her lover's eager mouth. The brunette was more than willing to oblige, rolling the blonde onto her back with her mouth still attached to her nipple.

"Bette…" the blonde breathed.

Knowing that her lover was gradually coming to her senses, the brunette began to suck harder on her nipple, causing her to squirm. She lay on her side, draped over the blonde, and let her hand wander down Tina's stomach. As her hand passed the blonde's belly button, her lover automatically parted her thighs, leaving no doubt as to what she wanted. She could smell her arousal the second her legs spread, and groaned against her breast.

The second her fingers made contact with her lover's wet centre, Bette heard her moan softly. She let her fingertips stroke through the soft folds, taking her time to explore the blonde as though it was the first time that she had touched her. Tina writhed beneath her, her core aching as her body begged for more stimulation.

"Touch me…touch me properly" she rasped.

Bette smirked, biting down on her nipple. The blonde jerked, her hand digging into the brunette's scalp.

"Come on…"

The brunette relented and ran a finger up to circle her lover's clit. She groaned when she felt how swollen it was. Her tongue began flicking over the blonde's hardened nipple, stimulating two sets of nerves at once.

"Ohhhh fuuucckkk" the blonde groaned.

Bette switched her fingers movements so that she was flicking her clit in a matching rhythm to her nipple. The blonde began to rock her hips in time with her ministrations, feeling like her whole body had been taken over by the brunette. Bette's eager finger and tongue moved in perfect synch with one another as she manipulated the swollen bundles of nerves, her eyes closed as she focused intently on bringing her lover pleasure.

"Babe…mmmm…god…."

The blonde could feel a tingling sensation in her legs, rising up to her centre. As the sensation spread between her legs she felt herself explode, her orgasm seeming to radiate through her body as her muscles contracted. Her cries of pleasure couldn't disrupt the brunette's rhythm, and still she continued, intent on drawing out the orgasm for as long as possible.

Finally Tina could take no more and tried to clench her thighs together as she cried out "Bette! Please…can't take it…"

"Yes you can" the brunette growled, biting down on her nipple.

The blonde groaned, clawing at the sheets as she fought the spasms in her legs. She was hit by another wave of pleasure which sent her head spinning, her body twitching as her face contorted with a stuttered scream.

As she felt the blonde relax, Bette finally took pity on her and removed her hand from between her legs. She kissed her nipple lightly before scooting up to nuzzle into the blonde's neck.

"Morning" she grinned, planting a kiss just below her lover's ear.

"You…are bad"

"Hey, I was just keeping to the deal we made last night"

"Ha, I thought you'd forgotten"

"Me forget making a deal about sex? No chance!"

"Hmm" the blonde murmured, twisting her body to wrap herself around her lover.

"So what does my beautiful girl have planned for today?"

"Well I was thinking we could do brunch at the Planet"

"Oooh the Planet…how exciting" Bette teased.

"Shut up you" the blonde swatted her.

"I'm kidding. It'd be nice to take some time over a meal there rather than always being in a rush"

"That's what I thought"

An hour later they were sat at their usual table, having just missed their friends who had all gone to work. Kit had served them both coffee and they were sharing a platter of fruit, waffles and pastries.

"You know, I think this is the most peaceful I've ever seen this place" Tina commented.

"Yeah, that's 'cause Alice isn't here" the brunette pointed out.

"Very true. So is there anything in particular you wanted to do this week?"

"I don't care if we spend the entire week shut away in the house, just so long as I get some quality time with you. Is that terribly boring?"

"No, I think it's cute"

"I've warned you about calling me cute T"

"Well I believe you also told me to always be honest with you. You can't have it both ways"

"Hmm. Well that's a thought you can keep to yourself"

"In that case, I might just keep lots of my thoughts to myself. Including the ones about how I was gonna repay you for this morning"

"Teeee that's not fair" the brunette whined.

"Aww is my big baby complaining?"

Bette pouted and folded her arms.

"Not gonna work Porter"

"How about now?" the brunette fluttered her eyelashes, putting on her Porter puppy dog eyes.

"Nope. I'm immune to your charms"

The brunette leant in and lowered her voice "You didn't seem very immune this morning when you were calling out my name"

"Behave" the blonde warned.

"You wind me up, I'll wind you up twice as bad darling"

"Fine fine, but you're still cute. Cute and sexy as hell"

"I suppose I can live with that"

"Well it's a good job 'cause you're stuck with me and all the compliments that come with it" Tina grinned.

"I am, aren't I?" the brunette returned the grin.

"I'm still not sure I quite believe everything that's happened over the past couple of weeks…..Ouch! What the hell was that for?"

"Well they always say to pinch people so that they know they're not dreaming"

"Porter!" the blonde scolded.

"But you love me"

"Hmm. That can quickly change"

"Never" the brunette smiled sweetly "Anyway, I was thinking…we could probably go by your house one day this week and pack up some of your stuff. You know, when Henry's not there"

"Yeah that's a good idea babe. I'm not sure I fancy dealing with him for a while"

"Well we could take both our cars over there tomorrow if you want? That way we could probably fit everything in"

"And where exactly am I gonna put two car loads of stuff?"

"I'll make room for you"

"Really?" the blonde raised an eyebrow "Bette Porter's gonna clear out the exclusive art work and the designer clothes for little ol' me?"

"Hey, I never said anything about clearing them out. I just said I'd make room. Maybe I'll just build an extension or something"

Tina chuckled "I doubt that'll be necessary. But yeah, that sounds like a good plan to me"

They finished their brunch with smiles on their faces, and Bette insisted on paying after Tina had treated her the night before. They stopped briefly to speak with Kit who was helping out her employee on the counter, before heading out into the California sunshine.

"Can we go for ice cream?" the blonde asked eagerly.

"T, we literally just had brunch. And besides, we went for ice cream like twelve hours ago"

"But I've got a craving"

"Are you sure you're not pregnant?"

"Not even funny Bette" the blonde glared at her.

"Sorry" the brunette pulled her lover into her arms and kissed her on the cheek.

"I think you should buy me ice cream to show how sorry you are"

"Do I have a choice?"

"Nope" Tina grinned.

"Well hows about we take a walk down to the beach and get ice cream there?"

"Deal"

The brunette couldn't help but smile as she took the blonde's hand in hers and they started to make their way down the street to the road that led down to the coast.

"Jeez, the sun's really bright" the blonde commented as they turned the corner.

"Put your glasses on then"

Tina routed through her handbag "Shit, I think I left them in the car. Hold this while I run back"

She handed her bag to the brunette, keeping hold of her keys as she jogged back up the street. Bette went to call after her but she was already gone, so she strolled back to the corner to watch the blonde making her way back to the car, which they had left in it's usual spot outside the Planet.

Glancing across the street, she had to laugh at the sight of a young girl being dragged along by a dog that was nearly as big as her. In California the preference seemed to be for dogs so small that they fitted in your handbag, so the sight was particularly entertaining to the brunette.

Her smile soon disappeared as the sound of a familiar scream pierced the air. She spun round in the direction that the sound came from and started sprinting up the street towards the Planet. A car sped off from out front before she could reach it. She came to a halt outside the cafe but could see no sign of her lover.

"Tina?!" she yelled.

There was no response. She looked down and saw her car keys lying by the side of her still locked car. It wasn't looking good. With shaky hands she pulled her phone out of her pocket and dialled the blonde's number. When she heard the familiar ring tone, she cursed. Tina's phone was in her handbag.

"Tina!" she screamed, tears streaming down her face.

By this point several of the Planet's patrons had come out to see what the disturbance was. They were soon joined by Kit.

"Bette?" the older Porter asked, rushing to her sister's side.

"It's…it's Tina…she's gone…" Bette choked.

"Gone where?"

"Someone…someone took her Kit…someone took T"

"Baby sis…are you sure?"

"I heard her scream…her keys are on the floor…someone fucking took her Kit"

"Shit…give me that" Kit grabbed her sister's phone from her hand, dialling 911 on the keypad "Hello?…Police…my friend's been abducted….the Planet in West Hollywood…"


	28. Chapter 28

Bette sat at a table in the Planet nursing a black coffee that her sister had served her on the house. The detective opposite her had asked her numerous questions and it killed the brunette that she couldn't be more help.

"So just to confirm, you heard the scream and then you saw the car pulling away?"

"Yeah…it was so far away that I couldn't get a plate though"

"And you're sure it was Miss Kennard screaming?"

"Yeah I'm certain"

"Can you describe the car for me?"

"A dark SUV, I'm sorry I can't be more specific…I wasn't really paying attention, I was looking for Tina"

"That's understandable. Now I know this might be difficult for you, but is there anyone you can think of that might be involved in this?"

"Honestly? There's only one person that it could possibly be. Her ex fiance Henry Young…he threatened her the other day. They didn't exactly have the best of break ups"

Bette proceeded to give the detective the details of the past couple of weeks, not dwelling too much on her own relationship with Tina but making sure the man was aware of the situation.

"And do you have Mr Young's address Miss Porter?"

"Yeah of course"

The detective handed the brunette a piece of paper and she wrote down the address of the house that Tina and Henry used to share.

"Thanks. I'll head over there myself to check it out"

"Will you let me know the second you know something?"

"Of course. I have your number, I'll be in touch Miss Porter. And if you remember anything else, you have my card"

The second the detective left, Bette's head fell into her hands and she let go of the tears that she had been holding for the duration of their conversation. Kit came straight to her side and rubbed her back.

"It's gonna be ok baby sis" she soothed.

"I just…I need her back Kit. I can't bear the thought of anything happening to her"

"She'll be ok. Tina's a tough cookie and you know she can outsmart Henry"

The younger Porter had to let out a soft laugh "He is pretty dumb"

"Exactly. Now hows about we get you home and we'll wait for the nice detective to call"

"Don't tell me you fancy him…"

"I always did like a man in uniform"

Bette shook her head, despairing at her sister "What about this place?"

"The girls'll be fine, it's not like we're busy. Come on"

The two sisters made their way back to Bette's house. While Kit made her younger sister another coffee, this time with a shot of whiskey in it, Bette found the number for Tina's mother on her girlfriends cell phone and called her to let her know what had happened. The older woman had tried to insist that she come back to LA, but Bette assured her that there was nothing she could do and that she'd call her as soon as there was any news.

"You think we should tell the girls what's happened?" Kit asked as she put the Irish coffee down in front of her sister.

"I don't know, maybe. I don't want to worry them though"

"Baby sis, how would you react if one of them got kidnapped and no-one told you?"

"I'd hit the roof" Bette admitted.

"There you go. Come on, we'll share them out. I'll even be the one to call Alice"

"Thanks Kit" the younger Porter smiled genuinely at her sister.

As they gradually informed the rest of the gang, the enormity of the situation began to hit Bette. Tina had really been abducted. Most of the girls promised to come to the house as soon as they could get out of work, with the exception of Shane, who had some free time on her hands since the movie was finished and said she'd be right over.

Ten minutes later Shane had joined her friends in Bette's living room and they sat in silence. Bette had managed to stop crying for now, and the other women were concerned that anything they said might set her off again.

The uncomfortable silence was broken by the sound of Bette's cell phone ringing. She grabbed it and answered immediately.

"Hello?"

"Miss Porter, it's Detective Ramires"

"Please tell me you've found her"

"And you believe him?!" Bette asked incredulously.

"Well we were able to search the house as this is legally still Miss Kennard's address, and there's no sign that she's been here."

"Well search again! I know it's him, it has to be!"

"Also, Mr Young drives a red Lexus. Definitely not the car you saw fleeing the scene" Detective Williams continued.

"Obviously he borrowed a car or got someone helping him or something! I promise you, Henry's behind this. Please Detective, trust me on this one"

"We're certainly not discounting him Miss Porter, but you must appreciate that at this moment we have nothing to tie him to the abduction"

"So what are you gonna do?!"

"As we speak we're getting bodies out on the street spreading the word and getting Miss Kennard's description out there. We're hoping someone's seen either her or the car"

"And that's it?"

"I've left men outside the house to see if any sign of Miss Kennard materialises. I assure you Miss Porter, we've got a lot of manpower on this. We take abductions of this nature very seriously"

"Just find her Detective Ramires…there's a lot of people here who need her and I'll be on your ass every minute until you do"

"I don't doubt that Miss Porter. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get back to the incident room. I'm going to send one of my Captains to your address shortly to stay with you and keep you updated on the situation, ok?"

"Ok. Thank you" Bette replied tersly, hanging up the phone.

"No sign at Henry's?" Shane asked as she watched her friend end the call.

"No. But I know he has something to do with this. You guys didn't see him the other day. He's an evil bastard and I wouldn't put anything past him"

"But if she's not at his house…"

"He must have had help. One of his jerk friends would have been more than willing I'm sure"

"What if it wasn't him? What if it was a stranger abduction…" Kit thought out loud.

"Kit!" Bette yelled "Don't even go there!"

It was a thought that Bette hadn't even let cross her mind, as the implications didn't bear thinking about. Although she was terrified, at least the thought of Henry having Tina provided some comfort as she didn't believe he was in it to kill her. A stranger? Well they were an unknown entity.

"I'm sorry baby sis" Kit apologised quietly.

"Fuck this, I need a hard drink" Bette pushed her coffee away and got to her feet.

"Bette…"

"Kit, leave it" the younger Porter glared at her sister.

"Porter come on" Shane got up, ever the voice of reason "you need to keep a clear head in case there's anything you can do to help"

Bette stared at her, the anger in her face disappating.

"Tina wouldn't want you getting wasted" Shane continued.

"Tina's not here" Bette said softly, a tear running down her cheek.

"I know" Shane stepped in, pulling her friend into a hug "But we all need to be strong for her ok? And that means staying off the hard liquor"

"Ok" Bette relented "I guess the Irish coffee'll have to do"

After a pause Kit dared to speak again "So what do the police want us to do?"

"Sit around here it would seem. Apparently they're sending over a Captain to keep us updated. I'm gonna go out of my mind"

"You can do it baby girl. You and Tina, you're two of the strongest women I know. And there's no way she'll stop fighting 'til she's back with you"

"She's a fighter isn't she?"

"Yeah she is" Shane said with a smile.

"I'm sorry for yelling Kit" Bette apologised.

"Don't even mention it. I'm immune to your yelling unlike the rest of the world so I'd rather you took your stress out on me"

"I'm not that bad"

"Seriously Porter…"

Bette turned to Shane "You too?"

"You have got quite a…ferocious bark"

"Are you likening me to a dog now?"

"Not my words"

"Let me guess…Alice?"

Shane's silence said it all.

"I'm gonna wring her neck when she gets here"

"Calm down baby sis, let's not start fighting our own eh?"

"Fine. But she can thank Tina for the fact that she's still breathing"

Kit patted her sister on the head before heading through to the kitchen to get herself a glass of water. She was trying to stay strong, trying not to panic in front of Bette, but inside she was filled with terror. Tina was like family to her, and the thought of losing her scared Kit almost much as it did her sister. But for Bette's sake, she knew she couldn't break down. They all had to hold themselves together and trust that the police would do their job and bring Tina home.


	29. Chapter 29

The brunette stirred and stretched out an arm, instinctively reaching for Tina. Her eyes opened fully when she felt the cold side of the bed and a sickening wave of realisation dawned on her. It hadn't just been a bad dream, Tina really was missing. She wasn't sure what time she finally managed to fall asleep but the last time she'd checked the clock she'd still been tossing and turning at 4am.

Dragging herself out of bed, she pulled on some casual clothes and made her way through to the living room. She managed a half smile when she saw her friends gathered on the sofas with mugs of coffee. At least she had her family round her when she needed them the most.

"Hey baby sis" Kit smiled genuinely at her.

"Hey Kit, morning everyone"

"Coffee?" Helena offered.

"Please"

Bette took the mug that was being offered to her and took a seat next to Shane on the sofa.

"Where did you guys all sleep?" she asked the group in general.

"We made do with the guest room and the sofas" Alice told her.

"Well I appreciate you all staying"

They had been joined the night before by Captain Tasha Williams who had been appointed as their liaison officer, and Alice had taken quite a liking to her.

"Has there been any news?" Bette asked nervously.

"No I'm afraid not. I promise, you'll be the first to know when there is" Tasha replied.

"I just wish there was something we could do" Dana said sadly.

They all stayed gathered in the living room for the next couple of hours. For a group of friends who were so close they felt like family, none of them had much to say to one another. They were all trying to stay strong, but it was clear that the severity of the situation was weighing down on all of them. Tasha had stepped into the guestroom to take a phone call and when she re-entered the living room she found seven pairs of eyes staring at her.

"What is it, has something happened?" Bette got to her feet, panicking.

"No, that was just Detective Ramires. He says they've pulled the surveillance team from Mr Young's house as there's not sufficient reason to keep them there"

"Are you fucking kidding me?!"

"Bette…" Kit tried to calm her sister down.

"No, I'll fucking yell if I want to Kit. I've told them Henry's behind this, he threatened T, what more 'sufficient reason' do they fucking want?"

"I'm really sorry, but Detective Ramires thinks that resources would be better used elsewhere" Tasha informed her apologetically.

"That's fucking ridiculous!"

Bette stormed out through the patio doors and paced up and down in the garden. Kit went to follow her but was stopped by Shane.

"No, I'll go. I could do with a smoke anyway"

As she approached her friend, Shane placed a hand on her arm and encouraged her to take a seat on the steps. Without speaking, she offered Bette a cigarette which she wordlessly accepted. Bette hadn't been a smoker since their college days but in times of extreme stress or intoxication she had been known to have the odd lapse.

"Shane….what am I gonna do if they don't find her?" Bette asked, tears welling in her eyes.

"Hey, you can't think like that ok?" Shane wrapped her free arm around her friend's waist.

"I just can't believe they've taken Henry off of surveillance. It's him, I know it is"

"Well…maybe there could be one positive in it…"

"How the hell can you find something positive in this?"

"Well now no-one's watching his house…..maybe you and I could pay him a visit"

Bette turned her head to look at her friend "You'd come with me"

"Of course. I mean, someone'd have to be there to stop you committing murder"

"You're a good friend Shane"

"I've always got your back, you know that"

"But what about the tiny issue of the cop in my house?"

"That's easy, just get Alice to distract her"

"You've thought of everything, haven't you?"

"They don't call me Yoda for nothing. My wisdom knows no bounds"

"You just watch that ego of yours" Bette joked.

"Come on" Shane said, stubbing out her cigarette "Let's go put this plan into action"

As they re-entered the house, Shane rejoined their friends in the living room and Bette headed for the kitchen.

"Al?" she called.

"Yeah?"

"Can you come in here for a second please?"

"Wouldn't you be better off asking someone who knows their way round a kitchen?" Alice called back.

"Just get in here!"

"Alright alright I'm coming" Alice trudged through to the kitchen "What's up?"

"I need your help"

"What with?"

"I need you to distract the Captain for a couple of minutes"

"Mmm hmm….only if you tell what's going on?"

"Come on Al, I don't have time for this" Bette protested.

"It'll be a lot quicker if you tell me what you're up to"

"Fine!" the brunette held her hands up "I'm going to see Henry"

"I really don't think…"

"It's not up for negotiation. Just tell me you'll do as I asked"

"Fine fine" Alice relented "But don't say I didn't warn you"

"Thanks" the brunette responded through gritted teeth.

The two made their way through to where their friends were gathered.

"Hey Tasha…I mean, Captain Williams" Alice started flirtatiously.

"It's fine, you can call me Tasha"

"I was wondering if you fancied a tour of the house and yard and stuff now that it's light"

From the look on Tasha's face it was clear that Alice's interest in her wasn't just one sided. The Captain agreed and as requested, Alice led her into the back yard for the first stop on their tour.

As soon as the two women were out of sight, Bette and Shane grabbed their jackets and headed for the door.

"Where are you going?" Kit asked them.

"The less you know the better"

The women knew better than to ask further questions and instead let Bette and Shane go about their business.

Once the two were in Bette's car, the bravado that she had been previously displaying seemed to leave the brunette.

"What the hell am I gonna say to him?" she asked nervously.

"Just….try and find out what he knows. Make sure he realises that you're on to him"

Bette took a deep breath "I have to do this….for Tina"

"For Tina" Shane echoed.

The drive to Tina's old house took them about fifteen minutes, and both women were lost in their own thoughts. It almost came as a surprise to them when they arrived.

"Ok, so how do you wanna do this?" Shane turned to her friend and asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Do you want me to come in with you?"

"I think that's probably for the best. If he's as obnoxious as he was the last time I saw him, I might need you to hold me back"

"Bette….when has he ever not been obnoxious?"

"True. You ready then?"

"Let's do it"

Bette's confidence was back, and she strode up to the front door with Shane just behind her. Her fists clenched as she rang the bell, knowing that Henry was in from the fact that his car was parked on the drive.

He answered the door with a confused look on his face. He was dressed in boxer shorts and a tshirt, and by the state of his hair, it could only be assumed that he had just woken up. Without waiting for invitation, Bette pushed past him and into the house, and Shane followed.

"What the hell do you think you're doing there?" Henry fumed, slamming the front door.

Shane hung around in the background, letting Bette do the talking.

"We need to talk"

"I have nothing to say to you"

"Let's just cut the bullshit Henry. Tell me where Tina is"

"She left you already? I told you it wouldn't be long"

"Fuck off. What have you done with her?"

"I'm guessing it's your fault I had the cops knocking down my door yesterday then"

"Damn right it was. Where is she?"

"Off banging some guy for all I know. Obviously you weren't enough for her"

"You fucking…" Bette stormed at him before she felt Shane pulling her back.

"Bette…careful"

"That's it, take your little dyke buddy's advice" Henry smirked.

"I know you've got something to do with this and I swear to god you're gonna pay"

"Like I told the cops, I wish I knew where she was, but I don't. If I was gonna hurt someone, it'd be you"

"And that makes me all the more likely to believe you" Bette retorted sarcastically.

"I told you you wouldn't be able to keep her"

"Fuck you"

"No, fuck Tina. 'Cause that's probably what some guy is doing right now"

Even Shane couldn't hold back her friend this time as she launched herself at Henry. She put a hand around his throat and stepped in close to him, drawing herself to her full height which easily equalled his.

"If something happens to her, you're a dead man. You get me?" she hissed.

Henry began laughing at her, although the smile soon disappeared when he felt her fingers tightening around his throat and saw the murderous glare in her eyes. Just for good measure, she brought up a shift knee between his legs, causing him to double over.

"Consider that a warning" she said coldly.

"Get out" he spat, still wincing in pain.

"With pleasure. But don't forget, I'm watching you"

With her final warning, Bette left the house with Shane in tow. When they were safely outside, she found herself shaking.

"You did good man" Shane reassured her with a pat on the back.

"I lost my cool"

"Who wouldn't?"

"So what do we do now?" Bette asked as they got back into the car.

"Well you certainly got him rattled. Now we just have to wait and see what he does"

"And how are we supposed to do that without the police?"

"Easy, we start our own surveillance. I'm sure the rest of the girls will be on board"

"You think we can do this?"

"I know we can. We're gonna find Tina, one way or another, and with or without the police"

Bette nodded slowly "Ok. Let's get back to the house. We may have to get Alice to undertake a little more of her distracting"

"I'm sure she'll cope"

There was a determination about Bette for the first time since Tina had been taken "We're gonna find her"

Shane smiled at her friend's new found attitude "Damn right we are"


	30. Chapter 30

Tina sat at the table, her arms tightly folded as she glared at the man sat opposite her.

"Look, you don't know me, you don't know my life, so why the hell are you here?" she fumed.

"I'm just doing my job Miss Kennard"

"This is actually your job? To sit here and preach at me until I undergo some miraculous transformation?"

"I sense skeptism"

"Ahh more of your deep insight"

"Do you believe in God Miss Kennard?"

"Yes, but my God doesn't judge people like yours"

"Our Gods are the same Miss Kennard. You just need to see the light. Have you read the Bible?"

"Cover to cover. I did go to Sunday school"

"Then you'll have read Leviticus"

"Ahh the book of damnation"

"Leviticus 18:22 You shall not lie with a man as a woman, that is an abomination. Leviticus 20.13 "If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them."

"Mmm hmm, I see you're quoting the book that also condemns sex with a woman who has her period, permits slavery and says lobster and shrimp are an abomination"

"The letters of Paul: Make no mistake: no fornicator or idolator, none who are guilty either of adultery or of homosexual perversion, no thieves or grabbers of drunkards of slanderers or swindlers, will possess the kingdom of God."

"That's one translation of the words, yes, but the word used for homosexual can also mean male prostitute. And besides, Paul also writes that a woman who prays with her head bare brings shame on herself. Do you believe that?"

"The tale of Sodom, in which those men who have sex with two male angels are blinded and their town destroyed"

"Yes, because they raped the angels, that's the sin. You want to sit here quoting Bible verses? 'Cause I got a few of my own. Samuel 1:26 I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother; dear and delightful you were to me; your love for me was wonderful, surpassing the love of women."

"That verse is about brotherhood and friendship"

"Matthew 19 For some are incapable of marriage because they are born so. And that would be me. I wasn't born for heterosexual marriage, I was born to love a woman"

"Oh Miss Kennard, we have such a long way to go to make you understand the true meaning of the words"

"And what makes you think your interpretation of the words is correct?" Tina leant forwards on her elbows, adopting a confrontational pose.

"Do you honestly believe you can lead a full and happy life as a homosexual?" the man met her gaze.

"Yes. I'm finally happy because I'm free to love whoever I choose, someone who treats me like I deserve to be treated. Is it better to stay in a relationship with someone you're not in love with, someone who treats you badly?"

"You were treated well, you just expected too much and crossed the line. You must learn your place Miss Kennard"

"My place?! So you're a sexist as well as a homophobe. You disgust me"

"You will learn Miss Kennard. You can still be saved"

"I have been saved! I've been saved by a woman who's shown me the true meaning of love"

"No, you've been led astray. Your mind has been clouded with improper thoughts, but it isn't too late for you to be cleansed"

"Whatever happened to 'Love thy neighbour'? I must have missed the part that said love thy neighbour so long as they believe the same things as you"

"Are you prepared for a life of people turning away from you in disgust? Or having to hide your actions to keep jobs and friends?"

"You really are deluded. I have no intention of hiding who I am. In case you weren't aware, the movie business has no problem with lesbians, and my friends are all lesbians themselves. If the world wants to hate on me, that's their cross to bear, not mine"

"And what about your family? Have you stopped for a moment to consider the shame you're bringing on them?"

"A family's love should be unconditional, and that's why I've forgiven them for mistreating me in the past. If they can't accept who I am, then they don't deserve to be part of my life"

Later that evening, Bette was sat nervously in her house. It was Helena and Dana's turn to be on surveillance duties, and she had been waiting somewhat impatiently for several hours for any news of Henry's movements. Captain Williams was still at the house with her, which meant that Alice was there most of the time, and Shane had come over while Carmen was out DJing at a night that she couldn't get out of.

"You want a drink Bette?" Shane asked.

"I could use a Scotch"

Shane raised an eyebrow.

"What, you want me to remain teetotal 'til….well, 'til god knows when?"

"I guess not" Shane relented "Is it alright if I grab a beer then?"

"Sure, go ahead. You know you never need to ask"

"Thanks. You think I should ask the lovebirds?"

Bette laughed "No, I think they're too drunk on each other"

Alice and Tasha were sat out by the pool. Although Tasha remained professional at all times, it was clear that there was a chemistry between her and Alice. Neither of them had acted on their feelings, but it was only a matter of time.

"Here you go" Shane put a glass of Scotch down in front of her friend.

"Thanks" Bette smiled at her gratefully.

"Have you spoken to your work?"

"Yeah, I've told them I'm taking indefinite family leave. I'm not stepping foot back into that place until Tina's back home with me"

"Well you know I can be around whenever you need me. I'm not taking on any clients at the moment, my paycheck from the movie should tide me over 'til she's home"

"I appreciate that Shane. And I won't let you guys worry about money"

"We'll be fine. Hey, I got my superstar DJ bringing home the bacon, I got no problem being a kept woman"

Both women laughed. Bette felt a pang of guilt at laughing when she had no idea what Tina was going through, and her face fell into a frown. She fought back a sudden wave of tears and felt Shane immediately move to put an arm round her.

"I'm sorry, I just…" Bette was unable to finish her sentence before dissolving into tears.

"Hey, it's ok" Shane soothed "It's ok to cry"

"I just feel so guilty. Just….why did it have to be her? Why couldn't someone have taken me instead?"

"You can't think like that. You've got to focus your energy on finding her. I mean, do you think it would be any better if it was you out there and Tina here in tears?"

"At least then I'd know she was safe" Bette whispered.

"Just keep her in your heart Bette, 'cause knowing that you're there for her….it'll give her the strength to get through this"

"She's never anywhere else but in my heart"

"Then hold onto that, because I can bet you that's what Tina's doing. The thought of having some love you, of knowing that you're always on someone's mind….well, it can get you through the hardest of times" Shane told her knowingly.

"I can't live without her Shane"

"You won't have to. We're gonna get her home, however long it takes"

"I hope you're right"

"When am I ever wrong?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?"

"I guess not"

The two women shared a wry smile. Every minute that passed without Tina seemed to drag on forever to Bette, but Shane's words had given her a new found determination. She had to be strong in the hope that somehow it willed Tina to do the same. She knew that the blonde was a fighter, and that no matter how it seemed on the outside, she could be the stronger one of the two on so many occasions.

The sound of Bette's phone ringing broke the silence and she was quick to answer.

"Hello?"

"Hey Bette, you ok?" Helena asked.

"Yeah, what's going on over there?"

"Nothing. I mean seriously, this guy is dull"

"You followed him home from work?"

"Yeah, he just came straight home and has been slouched on the sofa ever since"

"Please tell me you haven't been peeking through the windows"

"Darling please, I'm more discrete than that. You ever heard of binoculars?"

"Very funny"

"Well don't worry, we're safe across the street and it's dark. Believe me, I wish I couldn't see into the house"

"I second that!" Dana added in the background.

"Why's that?"

"He's stripped down to his boxers. Not a pretty sight I tell you. God knows how Tina was ever able to stomach that…"

"Thanks, but I don't really need to think about that"

"Sorry. But seriously, there's nothing going on here. He hasn't even had any phone calls"

"Ok, well thanks for trying anyway. Let me know if anything happens"

"Will do. You want us to just stick around until he goes to bed?"

"If you don't mind"

"Of course. Is anyone coming to take over?"

"Yeah, whenever Carmen finishes her gig her and Shane are gonna come by"

"Ok Bette. Well, I'll speak to you later"

"Bye Helena. Thanks again"

"Don't mention it"

Bette hung up the phone and sighed.

"No news?" Shane asked.

"Nothing. He's sat on the sofa in his boxers"

"Gross" Shane pulled a face.

"Exactly. Are you still ok to do a night shift with Carmen?"

"Yeah no problem. So long as you don't mind us….let's just say….making good use of our time" Shane winked.

"Feel free to get laid as much as you want. At least someone is. Just try to keep an eye on the house yeah?"

"You know I'm good at multi-tasking" Shane said with a grin.

"True" Bette admitted.

"You think we should tell Captain Williams what we're doing?"

"Not yet. We've got nothing to go on, so why would they act any differently now? No, we've got to wait for this sonofabitch to make his move, then we'll get the cops involved"

"It's your call"

"You think we're doing the right thing?"

"I think we're doing the only thing we can do"


	31. Chapter 31

Bette rubbed her eyes, unsuccessfully trying to fight back a yawn. She hadn't exactly been sleeping well in the week since Tina had been taken from her. She couldn't quite believe it had been a whole week. In the entire time they had known each other, they had never gone a week without seeing one another, let alone speaking to one another. The pain that she had felt during the first view days had been replaced by a numbness, it was as though she wasn't capable of feeling without Tina. The scent of the blonde's shampoo had faded from her pillow in the days that she had been absent, and even her old tshirt that Bette had taken to wearing seemed to smell more of her own perfume than Tina's. Every day she took the time to look over old photo albums, almost as though she would forget what her lover looked like if she didn't see her face daily. It was a fear that was clearly unfounded, but the thought of forgetting even the slightest detail about Tina terrified her. Despite her friends gently reminding her, she often forgot to eat as she just simply didn't feel hungry. She had no concern for herself, her entire existence seemingly dedicated to effecting the safe return of the woman she loved. Her body was weakened, but her mind remained entirely focused on the task ahead of her.

She and Shane were sat in Shane's truck down the road from Henry's office. All the girls had been chipping in by taking turns to watch Henry, but as the rest of them had to go to work, it was mainly Bette and Shane who were spending their time outside either his home or office. The man was boring, he never seemed to stray from his routine. He would leave the house early in the morning to head to work, and once he was in the building he didn't leave until the end of the day. Evenings were spent in front of the television, thankfully for the girls he had been wearing more clothes in recent days. His social life seemed to be non-existant and the man barely seemed to communicate with anyone except for his work colleagues. Despite his frequent bragging, Henry's life seemed to be entirely nondescript.

"Does Henry even have any friends?" Shane wondered out loud, seemingly reading her friend's thoughts.

"Ha. Well he always claimed to. I guess they might be keeping their distance after all the revelations about his behaviour at the wedding"

"I mean seriously, this guy is beyond dull"

"You're telling me"

"You reckon he got that promotion?" Shane asked.

"I doubt it, we haven't seen him with that sickening smug grin of his"

The two women pulled a face, both silently hoping that that was indeed the case. They couldn't bear to see him come out of this situation with a boost to his career.

"Have you spoken to Tina's mom?"

"Yeah she's…" Bette paused, trying to think of a way to describe Jackie's state "coping I guess. It just seems like such a tough blow for her when she's only just begun rebuilding her relationship with T"

"You don't think….well you don't think the timing is a little too convenient? Tina's mom comes back on the scene and just days later she gets abducted?"

"The thought had crossed my mind, but I like to think that I'm a pretty good judge of character, and I'm telling you, she seemed genuine when I spoke with her"

"Ok I'll trust your judgment. I just think maybe we should start looking at other possibilities. It has been a week"

"You don't need to remind me" Bette said softly.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you, I just…shit!"

"What?" Bette's head shot round to look at her friend.

"He's on the move"

"What? He never leaves the office before 5"

"Exactly. Let's see what the bastard is up to"

"You good to follow him?"

"Hell yes. This is the excitement I've been waiting for"

They watched as Henry got into his car, the air of urgency about him evident. This made it all the easier for them to follow him in Shane's truck, as he wasn't paying much attention to what was going on around him. Clearly he was in a hurry to get somewhere, and it was so out of character for him to leave the office that it instantly aroused the women's suspicions.

Shane was careful to make sure she always kept two cars between her truck and Henry's Lexus. The two women were silent as they both separately thought about where this could potentially be leading. After twenty minutes they were still tailing him, and they had begun passing through neighbourhoods that Shane was no longer familiar with.

"Do you have any idea where we are?" she asked her friend.

"Beverly Hills"

"Yeah the sign kind of gave that away. But funnily enough I can't afford to hang around places like these. Have you ever been round here?"

"A few times. There's something familiar about his neighbourhood in particular though"

"Maybe you've met a client here or something"

"Maybe. I definitely feel like I've been here before"

"Well it definitely looks like the kind of neighbourhood that art dealers would live in" Shane commented, taking appreciative glances at the expensive town houses that they were driving past.

"It's possible. But how the hell would Henry know someone from round here?"

"He's a complete kiss ass. He's probably wormed his way into someone's life with lies like he did with Tina" Shane said angrily.

"I certainly wouldn't put it past him. But kidnap doesn't seem like the kind of thing people from round here would get involved in"

"Money talks Bette. Money, sex and secrets. You can bet at least one the three is involved. Maybe Henry's blackmailed someone into helping him or something"

"I don't know. Something about this whole thing just doesn't feel right" Bette said nervously, rubbing the back of her neck in the way that she often did when she was concerned about something.

"You think there's a link to Tina here somewhere?"

"If Henry's here, it must be connected to T. There doesn't seem to be any other reason for him to break from his routine. My instincts tell me he knows something, and I'm not wrong often"

"Well I hope you're right. I'd quite like a day without seeing his ugly face and I don't know how much longer I can take worrying about Tina. I can't even begin to imagine how you're coping with all this"

"Honestly? I've had to disconnect my head from my heart, otherwise I wouldn't even be able to get up in the morning. I know it's not healthy to put up walls, but it's the only way I can see to deal with this. I need T to put me back together again" Bette replied sincerely.

"You guys have this bond. Henry's tried so hard to break it over the years, and he's always failed. He won't succeed this time either because I know you won't let him"

"If he wants a fight, he's got one. He chose the wrong people to mess with"

"That he did" Shane agreed.

They noticed Henry pulling in in front of a block of high class apartments. Shane was quick to find a space a couple of hundred metres down the road so as to remain unseen by the man.

"Any idea what this place is?" Shane asked.

Bette bit her lip and frowned, trying to recall the reason for her sense that she had been there before.

"There's something about that building….I'm sure T and I came past here one night when we came for dinner at a restaurant I heard about years ago…"

"See, you were even going on dates back then" Shane couldn't help but tease.

"Shit! I've got it! T got me to drive past here because she wanted to see what the apartment block was like!"

"Why would she wanna see that?"

"Shane….Tina's sister lives there"


	32. Chapter 32

Bette unfastened her seatbelt but was stopped by Shane sticking out an arm before she could get out of the truck.

"Wait….I don't think we should go rushing in there"

"Are you kidding? Henry's going into Tina's sister's apartment, T could be in there! I'm not just gonna sit around outside!"

"And what if she's not here? I think we need to wait for him to come out and then we can go speak to the sister" Shane rationalised

"But…"

"Trust me on this one Bette. If we go rushing in there they could get all defensive. And we can't let them know we're onto them"

"I hate it when you're right"

"It's why you brought me along"

"Fine, we'll wait" Bette relented "But don't expect me to be patient about it"

Shane chuckled "I would never expect you to be patient about anything"

True to her word, Bette managed to keep herself in the truck for the duration of Henry's visit to Tina's sister. About half an hour later he exited the building, and Bette turned to Shane.

"Do we follow him or speak to her?"

"It's your call Bette"

"I think….we should talk to her. She's got to be involved somehow" Bette decided.

"Ok, well let's give it a few minutes to try and make it look less like we've been following him" Shane suggested.

They did as Shane suggested and waited ten minutes before getting out of the truck. They walked briskly down the road to the apartment block and inspected the mailboxes in the open foyer.

"There it is, C Kennard apartment 2-F" Bette pointed out.

"Let's go"

They headed for the stairs and made their way to the second floor.

"What do I say to her?" Bette asked, growing nervous.

"Just ask her about Tina. But I probably wouldn't admit to being her girlfriend"

"Ok, I'll say I'm Dana"

"Good idea. And if you get stuck I'll take over ok?"

"Thanks Shane"

Upon reaching the door marked 2-F, the two women paused before Bette rang the bell. A few moments later the door was opened by a woman who was clearly an older version of Tina.

"Yes?" she asked them.

"Charlotte Kennard?" Bette spoke.

"Who's asking?"

"We're friends of your sister's. I don't know if you heard but she's missing" Bette tried to keep her voice soft so as not to disturb Charlotte.

"Yeah I heard. But I haven't spoken with Christina in years"

"Oh. We were hoping maybe you'd heard from her or something. We're just going out of our minds with worry" Shane joined in, adopting the same tone as her friend.

"Sorry, but I can't help you" Charlotte replied, sounding only half sincere in her apologies as she went to close the door.

"There is one other thing…" Shane started before Tina's sister had the chance to shut them out.

"What's that?"

Shane knew she was gambling, but she figured there was one sure fire way to figure out if Charlotte was involved "Well, it's just that Henry, you know the guy she was engaged to, he seems to have gone missing as well. We're worried that someone' s targeting them or something. Have you heard from him at all?"

"Henry? No, I barely know the guy. I think I spoke to him once or twice a few years back when we were trying to play happy families, but that's it. Sorry, but I really don't know anything"

Bette went to open her mouth to speak but felt her friend grab hold of her arm subtly to restrain her.

"Ok, well sorry to have bothered you" Shane apologised "we'll be sure to let you know when there's any news"

"Oh…erm yeah, that'd be great"

Shane had to practically drag her friend away from the now closed apartment door.

"Shane!" Bette protested "What the hell? Why aren't we confronting the lying bitch?"

"A good poker player never gives away their hand"

"What?"

"We can't let onto her that we know. There's no doubt she's involved somehow, otherwise there'd have been no point in denying seeing Henry. I think it's time to move onto phase two of the plan"

"And what would phase two be?" Bette asked as they left Charlotte's building.

"I think you need to give Tina's mom a call. Then maybe it might be time to let Captain Williams know what's going on"

They were safely back at Bette's house when she got out her phone to dial Jackie's number.

"Bette? What is it, have they found her?"

"Sorry Jackie, I wish it was the case"

"I know, believe me I get how you feel. There is one thing you could do for me though"

"What is it? I mean I'll do anything I can to help, god knows I owe it to Tina"

"I need you to answer a question for me"

"Of course"

"Have you heard from Charlotte recently?"

"Charlotte? Well yes, she actually called me earlier to say her and a friend are coming to visit, I think they're flying down tomorrow"

"Do you know her friend?"

"No, she didn't mention who it was. Bette, what's going on?"

"That's what I'm trying to work out. Can you trust me on this?"

"Well yes…I know whatever you decide to do will have Tina's interests at heart"

"Thank you. Are you still living at the same address as when we were in college?"

"Yeah, I'm still here. It's a big old place by myself"

"You think you could accomodate a couple of guests for a few days?"

"Do I take it these guests include yourself?"

"Yes, me and Shane"

"And does this have something to do with Tina's disappearance?"

"Maybe. I'll know for sure when I get there"

"You're being very cryptic Bette"

"I'm sorry. I just don't want to say too much until I've got this all figured out"

"Ok…I don't like it but I don't think I really have a choice here do I?"

"I'm sorry but no. I have to go, but I'll let you know when we've made the necessary arrangements"

"Ok Bette. Take care"

"You too Jackie. Bye"

She hung up her phone to find Shane looking at her intently "So?"

"It looks like you and me are going on a little trip to North Carolina"

Bette got out her laptop and managed to quickly find them flights for the following evening. It was the second flight of the day, and she figured Charlotte and her guest, who she was presuming to be Henry, would be taking the lunchtime flight.

"And you're sure that Tina's mom isn't involved in this?" Shane asked.

"I'm sure. She wouldn't have told me about Charlotte visiting if she was"

"But if Henry and Charlotte don't have Tina, who does?"

Tina sat on the edge of the bed that she had been sleeping in for the past week. Much as it was comfortable, it was nothing compared to Bette's bed. Or more accurately, her and Bette's bed. Her whole body felt heavy, as though the emotional strain was weighing on her physically. The days of preaching and attempted interventions were taking their toll on her, but despite the constant pressure, she had never once wavered in her convictions. She loved Bette, and no amount of Bible verses or scare tactics could change that.

She sighed as she heard the door to the room being unlocked. She could only look up and glare at the figure who stepped through the door.

"I've brought you some dinner"

"So I can't even be trusted to eat at the table like a human being?" Tina retorted.

"Not after your little attempt at running away after your therapy session today"

"Therapy?!" Tina scoffed "More like attempted brainwashing"

"So I see you still haven't seen the light then"

"You can have your little preacher lecture me day in, day out, it won't change who I am"

"Maybe I'll have to try a different tactic then"

"Like what?"

"You'll see"

"Why are you doing this Dad?"


	33. Chapter 33

"Why are you doing this Dad?"

"I've told you this Christina. You're sick, and I'm keeping you here until you get better"

"And I've told you there's nothing wrong with me! If anything, you're the one who's ill. All that hatred inside you….it'll eat you up until one day you find yourself a lonely old man. Hey, maybe that day isn't so far away after all"

"I suggest you watch your mouth young lady and remember who you're talking to" Tina's father sneered.

"Oh I know exactly who I'm talking to. A twisted old bigot. The best thing Mom ever did was leave your sorry ass"

The sound of a resounding slap rang around the room as Tina's father struck her across the cheek.

Despite the stinging sensation that she was experiencing, the blonde remained defiant "Still got the same violent temper I see"

Her father was fuming, but at that moment, she didn't care. She could take physical pain from him, hell she'd managed to block out being slapped around on several occasions as a child. Her resolve was focused on her mind, determined that no matter what he did to her physically, he wouldn't get to her mentally.

"You'll regret this Christina, believe you me"

"I highly doubt it"

"Maybe you'll change your mind if I decide to treat the cause rather than the symptom"

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The sun had long set by the time Bette and Shane arrived at Tina's childhood home. They were greeted fondly by Jackie who had secretly been longing for company since her husband had moved out.

"Come in come in, I've kept some dinner for you both if you'd like some?" she smiled at them both.

"That'd be great" Bette accepted.

"Thanks Mrs K" Shane added.

There was nothing quite like a good home cooked meal, and for two women who had grown up without their mothers, it had added meaning to it by who had prepared it. Secretly, of course, Bette thought it wasn't quite as good as Tina's cooking, but she was grateful all the same.

When they'd finished eating, Jackie refused the offer of help with the dishes and showed them to their rooms. Shane would be taking the guest room while Bette had the privilege of sleeping in Tina's old bedroom.

The two women returned downstairs and found Jackie in the living room with a bottle of wine. They both accepted a small glass when it was offered and settled down in front of the fire.

"You have a beautiful home" Shane told her genuinely.

"Thank you. It's been my pride and joy over the years, I'm just grateful that John isn't going to fight me for it"

"Jackie…" Bette started, unsure of how the women would take her inquisitions "have you seen anything of Charlotte today?"

"Yes, she came by this afternoon. Are you going to tell me what this is about?"

"Soon I promise. Did she bring her friend with her?"

"No, apparently he was meeting an old friend or something. I didn't really ask"

"Jackie the thing is…..we think the friend she's brought down here is Henry"

"As in Tina's Henry?"

Bette pulled a face "Well I'd rather not hear him described as that, but yeah"

"Sorry…slip of the tongue. What on earth makes you think that?"

"We saw him visiting her at her apartment yesterday, but when we asked her if she'd heard from him she said she hadn't spoken to him in years"

"I'm not even going to ask what you were doing at my daughter's apartment…"

"It's probably best if you don't" Shane advised.

"There's just too many coincidences in this for my liking" Bette continued.

"I'm just not sure I can quite believe that one of my daughter's would kidnap the other"

"I know this can't be easy to hear, but I really do think she's involved somehow. After all, she does hate Tina doesn't she?"

"I'm not sure hate is even the right word….she's more like to just pretend she doesn't exist than show any real emotion towards her"

"Do you know what car Charlotte drives?" Shane asked.

"Umm….last time I saw her I think she had a sports car of some kind. I'm afraid I'm not too good with makes and all that business"

"So definitely not an SUV then?"

"God no, she hates the things. She always used to complain about SUV drivers"

"Do you know anyone who does drive an SUV?" Bette rejoined the questioning.

"The only person I know is John, my husband"

"What colour is it?" Bette asked, not quite sure if she wanted to hear the answer.

"Black"

"Shit" both Bette and Shane said at the same time.

Jackie's eyes widened "You don't seriously think…."

"Who's the person in the world that hated T associating with anyone gay more than anyone else?" Bette reasoned.

"But he's her father"

"Come on Jackie, he's never acted like a father towards her. He's even more homophobic than Henry"

"Bette….I was married to the man for more than 30 years. Sure, he's a bully and a bigot….but a criminal? I just can't see it"

"Deep rooted hatred can make people do all kinds of crazy things" Shane said knowingly "and they can justify their actions to themselves on account of their beliefs"

"But how would abducting her help with his beliefs?" Jackie asked, not quite wanting to believe that her family members were involved in such an act.

"That's what we need to figure out" Bette said firmly.

"Do you have an address for him?" asked Shane.

"Yes but what are you going to do, just turn up at his house?"

"If we have to" Bette resolved.

"No offense, but I don't think he'd take too kindly to either of you knocking on his door" Jackie told them.

"We've both dealt with bigots our whole lives. He can say whatever he wants" Bette said bitterly.

"Just….try not to make him angry" Jackie warned.

"Why? Why are you so afraid of how he might react?" Bette asked, her eyes narrowing.

"I just….wouldn't want either of you on the receiving end of his temper"

"Mrs K…is your husband violent?" Shane asked, the concern evidence in her voice.

"He never abused me if that's what you're asking"

"And what about the girls?"

"He….I don't know. Back in those days every parent smacked their kids when they got out of line. Sometimes I guess he took it a little further than most parents"

"He used to beat Tina?" Bette spat.

"On one or two occasions, yes I suppose he did" Jackie admitted.

"Did he ever hit Charlotte?"

"Maybe once or twice. But she was a Daddy's Girl, it was only ever really Tina that he got mad with"

"So he hated her even before she knew what being gay was?" Bette hissed.

"You have to understand, John's a deeply conservative man. He genuinely believes in the whole 'women are on this planet to serve men' way of thinking. Tina…well, you know her even better than I do, but she's always been inquisitive, never content with a simple answer unless it comes with an explanation. John….well, he never liked anyone questioning him"

"If he's hurt her I swear to God…"

"Bette" Shane interrupted "you promised to keep your head"

"If T's come to any harm, all deals are off"

"Let's just sleep on it and come up with a plan in the morning ok?" Shane tried to reason.

"Ok. But I can promise you I'll be no less angry tomorrow"

"I have no doubt about that"

The three women said goodnight and made their way to their respective bedrooms. Once Bette was alone, she finally let go of the tears that she'd been holding back. Although she was relieved that they were finally getting closer to figuring out what had happened, there was now a realistically possibility that her lover was at least hurt. Over the years, she'd learnt to keep her temper in check, but if the source of her calmness was in trouble, she was sure that her temper would flare once again.

She finally allowed herself to look around the room, which had been left with very few personal touches. Opening the top drawer of the dresser, she found several framed photographs lying face down. She picked up each one in turn, and smiled when she came across one of Tina and her mother. There was a familiar sparkle in the blonde's eyes, and once again, the brunette felt a tightening in her chest.

She choked on the tears that were now flowing freely "I'm gonna bring you home baby, I promise"


	34. Chapter 34

Bette rose early and got dressed. She paused before leaving Tina's old bedroom, deciding to leave the photo of Tina and her mother on the windowsill in its rightful place. Unsurprisingly, she found the door to the guestroom still shut. Shane never was an early riser.

As she went downstairs, the smell of coffee flooded her nostrils and she soon found Jackie in the kitchen.

"Good morning" she said politely.

"Morning Bette. Did you sleep ok?"

"Yeah, really well thanks"

"Can I interest you in a coffee?"

"Definitely"

Having just finished her own drink, Jackie poured two fresh mugs full and leant back against the counter opposite her daughter's lover.

"Jackie….why are all the photos in Tina's room in a drawer?"

The older woman sighed. She wasn't quite sure how to explain her actions to Bette.

"The thing is….this might sound crazy, but to me those photos are symbolic of unhappy times. Everybody may be smiling in the pictures but it's all just for show. They were taken at a time when relations between Tina and her father were already strained beyond repair…"

"But I thought things were fine until she started hanging around with gay people?" Bette interrupted.

"No, it started way before that. The gay thing was just the final nail in the coffin. Tina was just…never the daughter he wanted. In his eyes, Charlotte was perfect and Tina just never lived up to that. She was too independent, her dreams were too big for a small town. And John hated that"

"So he hated her because she wanted to make the most of her life?!" Bette asked incredulously.

"I guess so"

"That fucking bastard"

"I had been hoping that when I came down to visit I might get a different photo to put up. A real one"

"I'm sure we can get a copy of some of the pictures Alice took at the barbeque"

"Thanks, I'd really like that"

Bette stood in silence for a moment, tapping her fingers on the side of her mug. She was trying to control her fury at Tina's father, but knew that the second she saw him it was likely to boil over.

"So what are you planning for today?" Jackie asked after a while.

"I have no choice, I have to see him"

"Ok….just look after yourself won't you"

"Don't worry, I've got Shane as back up. She may look scrawny, but the girl can hold her own"

"I think I believe that"

An hour later Shane had finally woken up and joined the two women, who had now moved to the lounge.

"So, you think you could give us John's address?" Bette asked.

"Yeah, let me just get it for you"

Jackie went out into the hall to fetch her address book. Before she could return, the phone rang. The two women in the lounge couldn't hear either side of the conversation.

When the older woman returned to them, her face was noticeably pale.

"Jackie, is everything ok?" Bette stood up, concerned.

"Umm…no, not really…I don't quite know how to say this, but that was John…"

"What? Does he have Tina?"

"He said….he said Tina's getting married today, and that she's specifically asked him to call me and invite me"

Bette's face fell and her voice was barely audible "She's what?"

"Let's not panic ok" Shane moved to her friend's side "at least we know she's ok"

"Ok?! She's getting fucking married! What the fuck?!"

"We don't know what's gone on ok, please just stay calm and then we can get ourselves to the wedding and you can see her for yourself"

"I'm not fucking watching her get married, I'm not going through that again"

Shane took hold of both of Bette's arms, making her friend look her in the eye "After everything you two have been through, you really think she's marrying someone out of choice"

"It's Henry, It's fucking Henry I'm telling you"

"Listen to me. She had the chance to marry Henry, and she chose you. We just have to get there ok"

"I need her Shane, I need her so much"

"Then let's go. You can save her, have faith in that"

The three women arrived at the registry office around twenty minutes earlier than Tina's father had instructed. They parked around the corner, and Jackie got out of the car, warning the other two women to remain hidden for now.

"Seriously?" Bette hissed "You want me to stay here when I know Tina's a few metres away?!"

"You need to let me see who's around first before you go storming in"

"And how will we know when to come in?"

"I'll call you Bette, I promise ok. As soon as I know it's safe for you to come in, I'll let you know"

Bette bit her lip but accepted the instructions. It was killing her, knowing how close she most likely was to Tina. And in the back of her mind was fear, fear that this really was Tina's choice. That the past few weeks had all been a big joke, and the blonde really wanted to marry a man. She shook her head, trying to cast those negative thoughts aside, and focus on her mission – bringing her girl home.

It was an agonising few minutes as they waited to hear from Jackie. Finally Bette's phone rang and she answered it almost immediately.

"Hello?"

"Ok, it's safe for you guys to come in"

"Have you seen her? Is she ok?"

"She's….she's doing ok but she's not saying much"

"Who else is there?"

"John, Charlotte….and Henry"

"I knew it!"

Bette hung up the phone and her and Shane got out of the car hurriedly. They practically ran to the front door of the registry office and went straight to the reception.

"Hi, we're here for the Kennard-Young wedding" Bette said, trying to keep her voice even.

"Oh…I wasn't aware they were expecting anymore guests. The ceremony's about to start" the confused receptionist informed them.

"Please….the bride would never forgive us if we weren't there" Bette begged.

"Ok…I guess I wouldn't want to ruin anyone's big day. I'll show you through"

They followed the receptionist until she stopped outside an innocuous door.

"This is the one. You'll have to go in quietly though, they may have already started"

Bette thanked the woman with as much calm as she could muster before opening the door. She and Shane stepped in and found themselves at the far end of the aisle from the wedding party.

"Tina!" Bette yelled, ignoring all warnings about being quiet.

The blonde spun round, her eyes widening as she saw the brunette.

"Tina!" Bette cried out again, running up the aisle.

Her run was halted by a large figure moving abruptly to block her off.

"What the hell do you think you're doing here?" John sneered "This is a private, family occasion"

"I AM Tina's family" Bette spat back at him, holding herself to her full height to show him that she wasn't intimidated.

"I suggest you leave right now and crawl back into whatever den of iniquity it is you came from"

"I'm not going anywhere"

The man took hold of her upper arms and began to squeeze them forcefully "Oh, I think you are"

"Get your hands off me"

His only response was to squeeze her arms harder.

"I said get off me" Bette said firmly.

"I don't listen to the Devil"

"The Devil"

"You're the Devil and you've been spreading your evil. But no more, your reign is over"

"You're crazy"

She could see the anger flaring in John's eyes, but nothing could deter her from her mission. His hand moved to her throat and he began to squeeze, constricting her breathing.

With a loud grunt Bette repeated a movement she had previously witnessed Tina perform, and lifted a swift knee to make firm contact with his groin. He winced and immediately let go of the brunette's neck, allowing her to run past him to the top of the aisle.

"Bette!" Tina cried, pulling the brunette into her arms.

"I'm here T, I'm here"

The two women sobbed, clinging onto one another as if no-one else was in the room.

"Finish the ceremony, now!" Henry hissed at the startled looking registrar.

"I'm not sure I should…"

"Finish it!" John yelled from his doubled over position half way up the aisle.

"No!" Tina begged, keeping a tight grip on Bette "No, please, no more!"

The scared registrar surveyed the room nervously "Well if both parties don't consent, I'm afraid I really can't continue…"

"She consents" John snarled, stalking up the aisle having recovered from the pain inflicted by Bette.

"No I don't!" Tina insisted.

The man approached his daughter and took hold of her arms in much the same way that he had her lover's.

"Oh I think you do. Remember what I told you, Christina. You know what's gonna happen if you don't go through with this"

"T it's ok" Bette soothed "Stay strong"

"I'm not doing it" Tina said firmly.

As John's eyes were focused on his daughter, Jackie beckoned the registrar over to her.

"Go" she whispered "please, call the police"

The registrar nodded in fear and scuttled out before the angry man could notice she was gone. Even Charlotte seemed shocked at the way her father was acting, and was hanging back at the side of the room without saying a word.

"You remembered what I told you would happen, don't you?" John snarled.

"I'm not doing it" Tina repeated defiantly.

"Well the consequences just got worse" he threatened.

"What do you mean?" the blonde asked, trying to appear unafraid.

"I'll kill her" he hissed.

"I won't let you"

"Oh yeah? Well then maybe I'll just have to kill you too, one less of your kind, I'd be doing the world a favour"

Bette wasn't willing to hear anymore threats against her lover, and spun them around so that she had her back to the blonde, placing herself between her and her father.

"I don't give a damn which one of you I kill first" John snarled.

There was an evil in his eyes that no-one had seen before. He had passed the point of no return. Charlotte silently backed away from her position in the corner and slipped out of the room unnoticed, not willing to witness the extent of her father's anger. Jackie hid herself away as much as possible, willing the police to arrive before it all went horribly wrong. Henry for his part was torn. He was desperate to marry Tina, desperate for the whole lesbian mess to go away, but even he would draw the line at murder. But no-one could be sure how far John was willing to go.

His nostrils flared as he swung for Bette. The blonde pulled her lover backwards just in time as she put her own hands up, meaning that his fist only caught her arm. Furious at the sight of his daughter with her hands on another woman, John launched himself at Bette, forcing his hands around her neck once again. The brunette fought back, digging her nails into his wrists in an effort to loosen his grip. When that didn't work she tried again to raise her knee to his groin, but he had wised up to her tricks and kept his body a sufficient distance from hers.

As soon as her girlfriend had begun struggling with her father, Tina was tugging at his hands from behind Bette, trying to prise his fingers off her. At the feel of his daughter's grip, John let go with one hand and punched her in the face, knocking her backwards. His hand returned instantly to Bette's neck before she had a chance to escape and squeezed with increasing venom.

Everything was happening in an instant and both Shane and Jackie came running to the top of the aisle. While Jackie tugged at her former husband's arms, Shane swiftly kicked the back of his knee. His leg buckled but he managed to maintain his grip on Bette's neck, and it was evidence that the breath was being forced from her lungs. Shane kicked him again, putting all of her weight behind her leg as she swung at the same knee as before. This time the connection was more effective, and John finally released his grip on the choking brunette.

Bette staggered backwards as she gasped for breath, finally letting the air back into her lungs. She hunched over as she attempted to recover, witnessing the other three women in the room trying to restrain her attacker. Tina was ignoring the blood pouring from her nose as she assisted her mother and Shane. But the man was strong, and managed to pull away from the women, launching himself at Bette once again. This time the brunette was able to preempt the attack and swung her fist, making solid contact with John's face.

And that was the moment when the police arrived.


	35. Chapter 35

Hand in hand Bette and Tina walked out of the hospital to find Jackie and Shane waiting for them in the car. They had both been given the all clear, with the blonde's nose luckily not broken and Bette left with just bruises on her neck and knuckles.

They didn't let go of each other's hands as they got in the car and Jackie drove them all back to her house. It was clear from Tina's behaviour that she had no intention of being separated from Bette.

When they got into the house, the brunette rubbed her girlfriend's hand with her thumb.

"You wanna get a shower or something T?" she asked softly.

"Yeah" the blonde answered quietly "Can you come with me? I just….I don't wanna be alone"

"Of course" Bette smiled at her sweetly.

"You two go on upstairs" Jackie instructed "and Shane can help me fix us all some food"

"Thanks Mom"

The two women climbed the stairs, stopping to get towels from the airing cupboard. Once they were in the bathroom and the door was locked, Tina wrapped her arms tightly around her lover and buried her face in her neck.

"Hey" Bette soothed "it's ok baby, I'm here. I'm not letting you go"

"You came" Tina whispered.

"I'd go anywhere for you. I promised I'd take care of you and I'm never going back on that promise"

"I was so scared"

"I know sweetheart. But you're safe now I promise. I've got you"

"You saved me"

"No baby. You saved yourself. You're the bravest person I've ever met"

"I don't feel too brave right now"

"You are T, trust me you are" Bette reassured, kissing the blonde on the top of her head.

The blonde lifted her head to meet her lover's gaze. She softly let her fingers trace the contours of the brunette's face, taking her time to stroke her lips. Fighting back her nerves, she leaned upwards and gently pressed her lips to Bette's. As she felt her body relax at the contact with the brunette, she lifted her hands to cup her cheeks, feeling Bette pulling her tightly into her arms.

After leaving their lips pressed together for at least a minute, the blonde finally pulled away. The thought of being in her lover's arms, of kissing her, was something that had kept the blonde going over the days that she had been kept prisoner.

"Will you get in with me?" she asked shyly "I need to feel close to you right now"

The brunette agreed instantly, kissing her lover's forehead. Her own feelings were pushed to the back of her mind as she focused fully on giving Tina whatever she needed. They removed their clothes and bent leant in to turn on the shower. She guided the blonde in before getting in behind her and closing the shower door.

"Is the water ok?"

"Yeah it feels nice"

The blonde turned and pulled her girlfriend close to her, molding their bodies together. She finally felt safe and immediately dissolved into tears.

"Sshh it's ok" Bette comforted, rubbing the blonde's back.

"I'm sorry"

"Hey, don't you be apologising. You cry all you want baby, I'm not letting go"

Tina clung to her lover until her sobs finally subsided.

"I love you" she whispered.

A smile appeared on the brunette's face as she felt tears of her own begin to fall "I love you too T, I love you so fucking much"

"Don't leave me"

"T…baby…listen to me" the brunette gently guided the blonde's head up so that their eyes met "I won't leave you ok. Not ever. And when you're ready to talk about everything that's happened, I'm here to listen and help you with whatever you need"

"Thank you"

"Would you like me to help wash you?"

The blonde nodded gratefully. Her entire body felt weak and she wasn't sure she could manage by herself. She kept her head rested against Bette's shoulder as she felt the brunette pick up a sponge and gently wash her body. There was nothing sexual about the contact, it was simply about a woman taking care of her lover. When she was done with the blonde's body she moved on to her hair, massaging her scalp as she applied the shampoo.

"There you go, all cleaned up" the brunette said with a smile once she was satisfied that she was done with her cleaning routine.

"Thank you babe" Tina smiled up at her.

"Anytime"

Slowly the blonde reached for her lover, pulling her head down until their mouths met in a tender kiss. Letting the blonde take the lead, Bette waited until she felt her lover's lips moving before letting her own begin to slowly move with them. The blonde sighed lightly, cupping her hand around the brunette's neck. Their lips parted, and keeping the kiss slow, the brunette began to caress her lover's tongue with her own. She had every intention of kissing the blonde until she was told to stop.

Finally Tina did stop the kiss, resting her head back against the brunette's shoulder.

"God I missed you" the brunette breathed.

"Thinking about you was the only thing that kept me going" the blonde confessed.

"I've been going crazy without you. I said I wouldn't stop looking until I got to bring you home"

"Home sounds so good right now"

"We can go tomorrow if you feel up to it baby?"

"I want that so much. Just to get back to you and me"

"Well I'll book our flights as soon as we get out of the shower ok?"

The blonde nodded.

"Hold on to me while I just wash my hair" the brunette instructed.

Tina did as she was told and wrapped her arms around her lover's waist while she waited for her to finish washing her own hair. Once she had rinsed it out she turned off the shower and opened the door. She wrapped a towel around herself before holding out the other one for the blonde to step into.

Smiling softly, the blonde stepped out of the shower and allowed herself to be wrapped up first in the towel and then in Bette's arms. They stood together for a few moments, just listening to the sound of one another's breathing.

"Shall we get you dressed so we can go get some of your Mom's cooking?"

"Mmm sounds good"

"It's still not a patch on yours"

"Are you trying to use your charm on me?" Tina teased.

"Do I need to?"

"Never"

For the first time since they had been reunited, Bette initiated a kiss. She kept it gentle, but left the blonde in no doubt about her feelings for her. When they pulled apart, Tina was left with her first full smile of the day.

"You're even better at that than I remember" she complimented.

"You forgot my kisses?!" the brunette asked indignantly.

"Never"

"I may just have to keep kissing you to help you remember"

"I think I might allow that"

The two women grinned at each other and brought their mouths together for another tender kiss. Soft tongues slid between slow moving lips as they took their time reacquainting themselves with the sensations that their kisses brought.

"Ok I really shouldn't have started that" Bette breathed as she broke the kiss.

"Self control never was your strong point"

"Not when it comes to you"

There was a sad smile on the blonde's face and the brunette knew that it meant that Tina was still stuck somewhat inside herself. It would take some time for the blonde to get over what had happened, and Bette knew that she had to be patient and supportive. Trust in other people was something that her girlfriend was lacking at the moment, and she was fully aware that she had to show the blonde that she was a person who would never give her cause not to trust her.

The brunette pulled her clothes back on and looked up to find the blonde just looking at her with a somewhat distance look in her eyes. She picked up Tina's clothes and slowly moved in front of her, not wanting to startle her. As her eyes focused on Bette, a smile slowly formed on the blonde's lips. Once she had her girlfriend's attention, the brunette began to dress her, with a little assistance from the blonde.

"I bet you never thought you'd find yourself putting my clothes ON" Tina teased lightly.

"It all comes with the package" the brunette smiled back.

"I really do love you, you know"

"I know baby. And I never want you to forget how much I love you"

Once both women were fully dressed, Bette unlocked the bathroom door and they made their way through to Tina's bedroom. They took it in turns to dry their hair, with the brunette in particular unable to leave it to dry naturally for fear of an unnatural frizz.

The scent of home cooked food had made its way upstairs and didn't fail to capture the brunette's attention.

"You ready to eat?" she asked the blonde.

"I'm not that hungry but I know I should"

"Just do your best ok?"

"Yeah"

They held hands once again and made their way back downstairs to find Jackie dishing up four plates of chicken.

"You girls ok?" she asked the two women.

"A lot better thanks" Tina smiled.

"You ought to know, the police called. Your father's been taken into federal custody and Henry and Charlotte have been taken back to California for questioning"

The blonde nodded slowly "Ok. I guess that's a good thing, right?"

"Yeah, it seems they're taking it pretty seriously"

"I should hope so too" Shane commented.

"I guess they're gonna want to talk to me again?" Tina asked.

"Yes, but they said that can be done when you're back home. They have enough from your initial statement that they took at the hospital to bring charges against all three of them"

"Does that go for the rest of us too?" Bette asked.

"Yes, all of us are going to need to make statements in the next few days. They want to make the case as airtight as possible"

"He won't get away with it will he?" Tina asked nervously.

"No baby" Bette reassured her, rubbing her arm "there's way too much evidence against your Dad, and the others too. The police will just want to build as strong a case as possible to make sure of a decent sentence"

The blonde seemed satisfied what her girlfriend had to say and made an attempt to eat the food her mother had cooked.

Once they'd all finished eating, Bette excused herself and Tina from the table and they went upstairs to get her laptop and book three flights back to LAX. The blonde was relieved when they found available seats on the ten am flight. As soon as she saw the brunette put the laptop down, she cuddled up to her and felt herself being wrapped up in strong and caring arms.

"We're really going home" she said with a smile.

Bette kissed the top of her head "Yeah T, we really are"


	36. Chapter 36

Bette closed the door behind them and finally both women could relax. They were home, and they were together. Finally, the brunette had been able to fulfill her pledge to bring her girl home, and it was the sweetest feeling in the world. The tension seemed to be visibly removed from the blonde as she returned to a place where she felt completely safe.

"Thank you for bringing me home" Tina said with a soft smile.

"It's my pleasure T. It didn't feel like home without you"

"I never want to be away from you again"

Although it was an impossible suggestion, the brunette understood that her lover was going to need a lot of reassurance over the coming weeks, and she was the one to provide it.

"I won't let you baby" she soothed.

"Do you think we could go and sit out by the pool? I haven't been outside in what feels like forever"

"Of course we can. I was just gonna make a cup of tea, would you like one?"

"Yeah, that'd be great"

The blonde stood nervously in the middle of the living room as she watched her girlfriend walk towards the kitchen.

Turning back, the brunette noticed the look on her lover's face and smiled reassuringly at her "You think you could give me a hand?"

Tina nodded gratefully and followed the brunette into the kitchen. Bette had understood that the blonde really didn't want to be left alone, but not wanting to make her feel like she was being babied, she found her own reasons to keep them together. The blonde didn't believe for a second that Bette needed her help, but she was grateful to her girlfriend for pretending for her sake.

Once the tea was ready they walked out into the backyard and chose the lounger in the best sunspot. The brunette sat with her back propped up and her legs apart so that Tina could sit between them and lie back against her.

"You make me feel safe" the blonde whispered.

"That's 'cause you are baby. No-one gets to my girl without dealing with me"

"I just….I can't believe my own family would do that to me? Aren't families meant to protect you?"

Bette's eyebrows raised. It was the first time she'd heard the blonde speak so openly about her abduction.

"Yeah, they are T. But sometimes people are so full of hate, that they let it cloud everything else in their life. It consumes them until all they're driven by is hate. And that hate makes them feel they're justified in such horrendous actions"

"They won't let him go will they?" the blonde asked, the panic evident in her voice.

The brunette knew that she was talking about her father, and the fact that he was the one she was focused on showed her who had been responsible for much of what had happened over the past days.

"No baby. The feds have him. That's a big deal. He took you across state lines, they won't be letting him go"

"What if he manages to persuade them over to his way of thinking about me? What if they agree with him?"

"Hey" the brunette said softly, putting down her cup of tea and wrapping her arms round the blonde's waist "that's not gonna happen baby. The feds are good people, and they're gonna make sure he goes away for a long time"

They lay together on the lounger for an hour or so until Bette's stomach began audibly rumbling.

"Umm T? Much as I never want to get up, I think my stomach's telling me it needs feeding"

The blonde whimpered and wriggled back against her girlfriend.

"You know sandwiches always taste better when you make them" Bette tried.

"Now you're just being silly"

"I swear T. Everything you make just tastes that little bit better than when I do it"

The blonde sat up, rolling her eyes "It's a line, but seeing as you cared enough to try it, I suppose I can fix you a sandwich"

They went inside and true to her word, Tina made lunch for them both. They ate at the dining table and the brunette cleared away the plates when they were done, of course under the blonde's watchful gaze. Just as they were walking back through to the living room, they heard a knock on the front door. The blonde's head snapped to the brunette instantly in fear.

"It's ok honey. You stay right here and I'll go see who it is. And I promise, I'll keep the chain on until I know who's there"

Tina nodded nervously, but didn't stop the brunette from leaving her side. As promised, Bette slid back the latch but left on the chain as she pulled the door ajar. Once she'd seen that it was Captain Williams on the doorstep, she opened the door fully.

"Captain Williams, come in"

"Miss Porter" Tasha nodded politely.

"What can we do for you?"

"I'm actually here to see Miss Kennard"

"Hi" Tina said quietly as she approached the other two women "are you here to take my statement?"

"If that's ok with you" Tasha said kindly.

"Yeah…I guess I have to do it sometime"

"We can take it at your pace, I promise"

The blonde nodded "Can Bette stay with me? I….I want her to know everything, and I don't really want to have to tell it all twice"

"Of course, but I'm going to have to ask you not to interrupt Miss Porter"

"No problem. I just want to be there for Tina. Shall we sit down?" Bette asked, leading the three of them into the living room.

"Thank you" Tasha replied.

Bette and Tina sat side by side on the sofa while Tasha took the chair. It wasn't going to be easy for the blonde to relive everything that she'd been through, but she knew she had to do it to make sure of convictions for those that had hurt her, and having the brunette by her side made it an easier task to bear.

Bette listened on in silence as her girlfriend took them both through her abduction. It was Henry who had grabbed Tina from outside the Planet that day, and her father had been driving. It turned out that they had dropped Henry at his house before her father had transported her in his locked vehicle all the way to North Carolina. He lived alone in his bachelor pad so there had been no-one to notice the new addition to the household. Every day when he'd left for work he'd left his daughter in the care of his good friend, a fellow Christian who held similar beliefs to John.

For the first few days there had been no violence. However, when it became clear that Tina wasn't going to comply with his demands to marry Henry willingly, he had begun striking her. It started with a slap here and there but became more forceful with hits to the torso.

When Bette heard this she squeezed the blonde's hand reassuringly, trying to control her own anger that was building against the man.

Tina continued by telling them how finally when John had realised that no amount of preaching or physical persuasion was going to change his daughter's mind, he had resorted to making threats against Bette. He had told her that Henry and his friends were watching her house, and one of them had a firearms license. When he told her that her precious Bette would be dead if she didn't agree to the wedding, she felt she had no choice but to go along with it.

It was only once they had to got to the registry office that she had found the courage to ask for her mother. She had hoped that Jackie would be able to get in touch with Bette, not realising that her girlfriend was several steps ahead of her. It was only when they got to the ceremony that Tina had discovered that her sister had been involved in the plan.

Tasha stopped the blonde when she reached the point in her story when Bette and Shane had entered. As Bette would be required to give her own statement, she couldn't be in the room when her girlfriend told her version of events.

After a comforting hug from the brunette, Tina agreed to be left alone with Tasha to go through the final events of the previous day. This part of her statement was perhaps less detailed from this as she was desperate to get through it so she could be back with her girlfriend. But Tasha didn't push her as she knew she'd be able to get more details from the rest of the witnesses.

When she was finished Tina sighed deeply.

"Thank you for taking the time to tell me that Miss Kennard"

"Please, you can call me Tina"

"Ok Tina. Well I appreciate that that can't have been easy for you"

"Can Bette come back in now?"

"Of course"

Tina went out to the garden and called her girlfriend back in. They walked back to the sofa hand in hand.

"Do you want my statement now?"

"I can take it now. Or if that's been too much for today, I can always come back another time"

"I'd rather get this all over with if that's ok"

Tasha nodded understandingly.

"Is it ok if Tina stays here? I mean, you heard her side of it already" Bette asked.

"I suppose that'd be ok"

Tasha took down Bette's statement and finally put away her tape recorder and notepad.

"Ok, well before I go, I just wanted to give you both an update on what's going on with the suspects. Mr Young and Miss Kennard have both made full confessions and their stories seem to corroborate what you ladies have told me. We're liaising with the police in North Carolina and they've picked up the man who was helping your father. His name is Zachariah Moore. Right now he's not talking from what you've told us they should have enough to charge him"

"And what about my father?"

"He's still in federal custody. The latest position was he is denying everything. But you don't have to worry, he won't be getting bail with the gravity of the charges against him"

Tina sighed in relief and leant her body against her lover's.

"That's great news" Bette spoke for both of them.

"Well I should probably leave you two alone, but I'll be in touch with any developments" Tasha said, getting to her feet.

Bette and Tina walked her to the door, and just as she was seeing the Captain out, the brunette spoke again.

"Can we expect to be seeing you with Alice sometime?"

Tasha blushed and didn't respond, just giving them a nervous wave before making her way back to her patrol car.

"What was that all about?" Tina asked as they shut the door.

"Seems Captain Williams and Alice took a bit of a shining to each other"

"Oh really?" the blonde grinned "Well at least something good came out of all of this"

Later that evening they were getting ready for bed. Bette was standing in front of the wardrobe, unsure what she was supposed to be wearing. She felt a hand on her arm and found the blonde by her side, smiling shyly.

"You don't need pyjamas"

"T…"

"I just want to sleep babe if that's ok. But I want to feel close to you"

"That's more than ok baby"

Bette smiled in relief. She hadn't wanted things to change when her lover came back, but she wasn't quite sure where she stood in terms of getting close to the blonde.

"Will you undress me?" Tina asked, biting her lip.

The brunette sighed. She loved nothing more than undressing her lover, and she was finally getting the chance to do it again. She gently removed her clothes until the blonde was standing naked before her.

"God T….I missed this"

"Can I….?"

Bette swallowed and nodded. Although she knew that she wouldn't have the chance to love her girlfriend in the way that she was aching to tonight, the thought of being so close to her again gave her a familiar warm feeling that she hadn't experienced since they had been separated.

The blonde carefully stripped the brunette and once she had finished, she stepped forward and embraced her lover. Both women sighed at the feeling of their naked bodies pressing together. It was Tina who leant up first and pressed her lips to the brunette's, kissing her tenderly as their hands caressed one another's bodies.

"T…" Bette breathed, rapidly losing control of herself.

"I'm sorry babe, I know I shouldn't start anything that I'm not going to finish. Soon baby though, I promise"

"You know I'll wait for you"

"I know. And I love you for that"

"Shall we get in bed?"

Tina nodded enthusiastically and the brunette pulled back the covers before both of them climbed in. They immediately sought out one another's bodies and intertwined their limbs in the centre of the bed. They lay on their sides and the blonde tucked her head under her lover's chin.

"I think this is what I missed the most" she said quietly.

"Me too" Bette confessed.

"Thank you for saving me"

The brunette kissed her forehead "Night night T"

"Night babe"

As she felt the blonde drift off to sleep, Bette tried to pull her closer.

"You may not realise it yet baby, but you saved me"


	37. Chapter 37

Bette cleared away the dinner plates and returned to the living room where Tina had settled on the sofa. It had been a week since she brought her lover home, and gradually she had been able to see the improvement in her confidence and demeanour. The blonde no longer needed to be within eyesight of her girlfriend at all times, although any separation between them had only occurred in the house. Most importantly, the brunette had seen her lover smiling. Time was beginning to heal the pain of what she had been through, and whilst it would be a long while before she could get over what her father had done, with the love she was being shown by her girlfriend, there was no doubt that she would get through this.

"Hey beautiful" Bette said, smiling sweetly as she joined the blonde on the sofa.

"Thank you for dinner babe" the blonde said, returning the smile.

"You're welcome. It's about time I learned to cook after all"

"Well at least you're doing something productive with your time off work"

"Hey" the brunette soothed, pulling her girlfriend into an embrace "nothing could be more productive than taking care of my favourite girl"

"And you do it so well"

The two women smiled at each other and the blonde reached out a hand, brushing a stray curl out of the brunette's face. With her eyes focused on Bette's, she leant in, closing them only at the moment when their lips met. The brunette remained still, letting Tina take the lead as she left a series of gentle kisses on her lips. It was amazing how the softest of touches could send her heart racing and the brunette couldn't help but whimper.

Hearing her lover respond, the blonde slid a hand to the back of her neck and pressed their mouths together more firmly. Bette was trying to keep herself under control, but couldn't help but mirror the blonde's actions, pushing her lips against her lover's with all the pent up desire that was threatening to take over. Their mouths didn't move, they simply pushed against one another, as if they wished to merge themselves into one being. Both women were breathing heavily, and they could feel each other's breath tickling their cheeks.

It was the brunette who pulled away from the kiss, trying desperately to bring her breathing under control.

"I'm sorry" she said, not quite meeting the blonde's gaze "I didn't mean to get carried away"

The sexual tension between them had been palpable for the last few days, but Bette had vowed to keep her arousal in check and wait until the blonde was ready for that level of intimacy again.

"Hey" Tina said softly, squeezing her lover's hand "I started that, not you"

"I know, but I'm supposed to be the strong one here. I think I'm gonna go for a swim and cool down"

The blonde watched her girlfriend get up and head to the bedroom where she presumed she was changing into a bikini. She shook her head but had a smile on her face. It was true, she'd been holding back on this level of their relationship ever since she'd come home. There was something about giving over that final part of herself that had been scaring her as she had been somewhat insular since her abduction. But she knew she could trust Bette, knew that she was the one person who wouldn't hurt her if she opened herself to her.

Ten minutes later, the brunette was swimming laps in the pool when the sound of the patio door opening caught her attention. She came to a halt in the shallow end as she watched her girlfriend approach, wearing her robe.

"You coming to join me?"

The blonde said nothing, but slid the robe off her shoulders, revealing the fact that she was naked underneath. The brunette's eyes visibly darkened as she admired her lover's body perfectly illuminated by the moonlight.

"T…." she breathed.

"I want you" Tina stated huskily.

"Oh god…"

Feeling the brunette's eyes following her every move, the blonde walked to the steps of the pool and walked down them until the water was up to her thighs. Mesmorised, the brunette moved to meet her at the bottom of the steps, letting her hands rest on the blonde's hips.

"I'm sick of being scared" the blonde said openly "I'm not letting them win anymore. I want to be with you and I'm not gonna let anything stop me"

"Are you sure?" the brunette exhaled, trying to cling on to the last traces of control that she had.

"Very. Feel what you do to me"

Tina took one of her lover's hands and guided it between her legs, causing the brunette to groan when her fingers made contact with the blonde's centre. She leant her head on the blonde's shoulder as she slowly let her fingers get reacquainted with the place that she'd missed so much.

"Oh god I've missed your fingers" the blonde whimpered.

Lifting the brunette's head with both her hands, the blonde crashed their lips together. This time there was no holding back with the kiss as their tongues roamed freely in one another's mouths. Slowly the blonde inched them both backwards until the water reached her waist. The brunette's now submerged fingers continued to tease her, lightly caressing her most intimate of places.

Tina released her grip on the brunette's face, continuing to kiss her as she let her hands roam over her lover's toned torso. She reached around her back and pulled on the string that was holding her bikini top, loosening it until the garment could be pulled free from the brunette's body. Once it was loose in her hands, the blonde threw it to one side, hearing it land somewhere on the side of the pool.

Though she had seen the brunette's body in all its glory on many occasions since she had come home, this time was different. The blonde flattened her palms and ran them down her chest until they cupped her breasts. She massaged them firmly, the brunette's nipples already hard from a combination of the night air and the tingles of arousal that she was experiencing.

"Fuck!" Bette gasped, her lips pulling back from the blonde's slightly as she focused on just how good it felt to have her lover touching her again.

"I've missed you" the blonde breathed against her lips.

"T….I love you so much"

There was the glint of a tear in the brunette's eye as she spoke, and they both stilled their hands for a moment as the blonde leant in and kissed her softly. The intensity of the moment had the brunette shivering, and Tina lovingly ran her hands down her sides until they reached the ties on the sides of her bikini bottoms.

"Please….I need you" the brunette begged.

The blonde kissed her way down to her lover's neck as she pulled on the ties in her hands. Once she'd removed the brunette's bikini bottoms, she felt her lover moving her fingers against her own centre, reminding her that she too had the power to make her go weak at the knees.

"Bette" she growled.

She pressed her lips to the brunette's as she slid her fingers into the warmth between her legs. They kissed deeply as each of them moved their free hand to press against their lover's lower back. As their tongues danced together, their fingers seemed to simultaneously find one another's clits. Bette circled her fingers, feeling her lover's centre pulsate as they both groaned.

As their tongues flicked against one another, the blonde began to perform the same action on the brunette's clit with her finger. They gripped onto one another tightly as both women increased their movements, using each other's bodies to hold themselves upright.

There was a familiarity about their actions as their mouths devoured one another, the two lovers breathing heavily from their noses as they both sped up their ministrations on each other's clits.

It was Tina who made the first move to enter her lover, sliding two fingers into her easily, which caused the brunette to tilt her head back and cry out. She tried to continue her circling of the blonde's clit, but it was becoming increasingly difficult as her lover's mouth latched onto her neck.

"Oh fuck….T….."

The blonde was relentless, driven by an overwhelming need to repay her lover for all the kindness and understanding she had shown her. She curled her fingers upwards with each thrust, her arm creating splashes in the water as she drove firmly into the brunette.

Bette had to give up on her own attempts to pleasure the blonde and just let herself be taken fully by her lover. She held onto the blonde's hips as she felt her fingers probing deep inside her, her mouth sucking firmly on the spot on her neck that caused the brunette to squirm.

Knowing that the brunette was fully at her mercy, the blonde curled her fingers once again and rubbed them back and forth over the most sensitive part of her inner walls.

"Oh my…..shit…fuck that feels so good"

"You like that? You like me deep inside you baby?" the blonde asked huskily.

"Yes….god yes…."

The blonde knew she'd found a way to heighten her lover's pleasure and continued her rubbing motion, feeling the brunette's hips rocking back and forth. Bette grabbed holding of the blonde's face, seeking out her mouth immediately with a hungry kiss. She was panting as she dominated Tina's mouth with her tongue, clutching onto the blonde as a groan emerged from her throat.

As her two fingers continued to work their magic inside the brunette, the blonde pressed her thumb down on her clit. Rubbing both spots at the same time was causing her lover to growl, and the blonde loved the sounds that she made. There was something unbelievably sexy about the noises that a woman could make, and Tina would never tire of hearing them.

"T…..god….."

Feeling the waves of pleasure approaching, the brunette broke the desperate kiss and clung onto the face of the blonde, keeping her lips inching from her lover's as a stuttered cry escaped from her throat. She thrust herself against the blonde, the water splashing around them as she let the pleasure take over her completely.

Rather than tire her out, the orgasm seemed to have given the brunette a new rush of energy. She sucked on the blonde's lower lip as she reached around to the backs of her thighs, scooping her up into her arms. Tina willingly responded by wrapping her legs around the brunette and felt herself being carried deeper into the pool.

"Where are we going?"

"You're going up here" the brunette replied with a grin, lifting the blonde effortlessly onto the side of the pool "and I'm staying right here"

With her eyes locked on the blonde's, Bette spread her lover's thighs and helped her to shift forwards so that she was rested right on the edge of the pool. She leant in and licked tentatively with her tongue, savouring her first taste of the blonde in what felt like an eternity. Tina leant back on her elbows, her eyes focused on the brunette as she eagerly set about her task of using her mouth to pleasure her.

"Mmmm babe….you're so good at that…" the blonde murmured.

She felt as though the brunette was literally devouring her, her mouth covering her centre as her tongue ran over it freely.

Once she was satisfied that she had teased the blonde enough with her wandering tongue, the brunette focused her attention on her clit. Her mouth closed around the swollen nub, sucking it in and then letting it go.

"Fuck!" the blonde gasped.

The brunette smirked as she pressed her mouth into the blonde's centre once more, placing languid kisses on her clit. She was aware from the way that her lover was lifting her hips off the ground that the strokes of her tongue were having the intended effect.

Hooking her arms under the blonde's thighs, Bette pulled her body against her mouth, licking her with wild abandon. Finally the blonde had to give up on her aim of watching what the brunette was doing, and she let herself lie back against the cool ground. She rolled her hips, desperate to create a rhythm that she knew would push her over the edge.

"Mmmm god" she moaned, biting down on her own arm to stop herself from crying out.

Knowing that she had to stick to a rhythm to give the blonde the release she desired, the brunette flattened her tongue and began to lick her lover repeatedly. Her licks matched the rhythm that Tina was setting with her hips, and she could tell by the groans coming from her lover's mouth that this was what she needed.

"Yesssss" the blonde hissed "just like that babe"

The brunette was using her neck to ensure that she put her whole head behind each lick, making firm contact with the blonde's clit with every stroke of her tongue.

"Yes babe….yes….fuck….yes…."

Tina was rapidly losing control, her hips bucking wildly against the brunette's face. Her fingers scratched at the floor in an attempt to find something to grip onto as she finally let go and allowed the orgasm to take over her.

The sound of her lover crying out as her body shook did not stop the brunette's actions as she began suckling her clit in an attempt to draw out the orgasm. As she felt the blonde's body go limp, she lightened her movements until she was placing gentle kisses on her clit.

"Oh my god babe" the blonde exhaled "that feels amazing"

Bette stroked the blonde's thighs with her fingertips as she continued with her featherlight kisses, letting her lover come down gently from the high that she had experienced.

"Bette….I love you so much"

The brunette smiled and kissed the inside of the blonde's thigh before hoisting herself elegantly out of the pool so that she was leaning over her satisfied lover.

"Hey you" the blonde grinned.

"Hey gorgeous"

"Come here"

Bette gladly let her body press down against the blonde's as she kissed her tenderly. Their tongues brushed against one another as Tina ran her hands through the brunette's damp hair.

"You think we should go inside?" the brunette asked with a smile.

"I think it might be a little more comfortable"

And inside they went. Though it wasn't late, they showered separately and got into bed. Instinctively they moved to the centre of the bed and curled up together.

"Thank you for trusting me" Bette said softly.

"I never stopped trusting you babe. This was about me being comfortable with myself. And you helped me to do that"

"I'd do anything for you, you know that"

"I know, and that means everything to me" the blonde said sweetly, trying to fight back a yawn.

"Are you tired?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry. You wore me out"

The brunette chuckled "Get some sleep baby. We can talk tomorrow"

"I love you" Tina said softly, placing a light kiss on the brunette's lips before getting herself comfortable with their limbs intertwined.

"I love you too T"

Although she hadn't realised it, Bette found that she too was as exhausted as her lover and she soon drifted off to sleep, finally content that they had reconnected once again.


	38. Chapter 38

"Bette?"

The brunette's ears perked at the sound of her lover calling her from the bedroom. They had had a lengthy day shopping to replenish the kitchen at Tina's request, and once their shopping was put away, the blonde had gone for a lie down.

"Yeah babe?" Bette responded, opening the bedroom door.

Her eyebrows shot up as she set eyes on the blonde. Tina was stood at the foot of the bed, wearing nothing but their purple strap on and looking somewhat pleased with herself for putting it on properly.

"Someone's being a bit forward" the brunette commented with a grin.

"Remember last night when you said you'd do anything for me?"

"This wasn't exactly what I had in mind, but go on…."

"I want you to give yourself to me" the blonde commanded.

Bette felt a jolt of excitement shoot through her, but tried to keep her cool "You think you can control me?"

"Oh I know I can"

The brunette grinned. Tina was exuding a confidence that she hadn't displayed since before the abduction, and she knew that she couldn't deprive the blonde of her desires. It was important for her to feel like she had control of things in her life again, and if that meant taking control of Bette in the bedroom, who was she to stand in her way?

"On one condition…" she said, smirking.

"Tell me what it is and I'll consider it"

"Kiss me"

The blonde raised an eyebrow and moved to the stationary brunette. She cupped her cheeks and left a lingering kiss on her lips.

"No….kiss me like this"

Bette took hold of the blonde's face, kissing her deeply and immediately letting their tongues dance together. Despite her appearance of being in control, the blonde couldn't help but moan into the kiss, loving the way the brunette's tongue was caressing hers.

"Now that's enough of your requests" the blonde stated, trying to hide the excitement that had resulted from the kiss.

"Don't try and act like you didn't enjoy that"

"Strip"

The brunette raised an eyebrow.

"I mean it, take your clothes off now"

Normally Bette would have put up more of a fight, but tonight was all about giving the blonde what she wanted. With her eyes focused on Tina's, she slowly removed her clothes, letting them fall on a pile on the floor until she was stood in only her underwear.

"And the rest" the blonde commanded.

The brunette reached behind herself and unfastened her bra, letting it join the rest of her clothes on the floor after she slid it down her arms. She hooked her fingers in the waistband of her underwear and was about to remove them when she heard her lover speak again.

"Turn round when you take them off"

The brunette wasn't expecting the command, but did as she was told. She turned around and faced the wall, bending over as she slid down her underwear.

"God the things I'm gonna do to that ass" the blonde purred.

Bette shivered at the insinuation in her lover's statement. She stood back up to her full height and turned back around to face the blonde, who had returned to her position at the foot of the bed.

"Come here" Tina ordered huskily.

All thoughts of resistance were gone as the brunette followed orders and walked to the blonde. As she came to a standstill before her lover, she found herself being pushed down to the floor by two firm hands on her shoulders. She looked up at the blonde as she found herself on her knees before her.

"What do you want me to do?" she asked submissively.

The blonde took hold of the purple dildo that hung between her legs "I want you to suck it"

"What?!"

"You heard me. I want you to get it nice and wet before I fuck you with it"

Bette hesitated, but when she felt the blonde's hand tangling into her hair, she realised that she would literally do anything that this woman before her asked of her. She took as much of the toy into her mouth as she could, wrapping her tongue round it as she gripped the base firmly.

The blonde looked down and her eyes met the brunette's. Bette had on her puppy dog eyes, and it made the blonde melt to see her lover submitting to her in such a manner. She could feel the end of the dildo pressing against her centre with each shift of the brunette's hand and had to hold back a moan. This element of foreplay wasn't about pleasure, it was about her exercing control.

When she was satisfied that the brunette had warmed to her submissive role, she pulled the dildo from her mouth. Bette simply looked up at her, awaiting her next command.

"Stand up"

The brunette did as she was told and was guided into the centre of the room by the hands placed on her hips.

"Now stay still"

The blonde began to circle her lover, letting her hands run over her chest and back. She made sure to brush over her nipples, feeling them straining for attention.

"Mmm" she moaned as she stood behind the brunette, squeezing her ass "you're so firm babe"

Bette said nothing but simply waited for the blonde's next move. She didn't have to wait long for her lover to reappear in front of her. Eager hands caressed her hips, moving lower to dip between her legs.

"Well well well, what do we have here?" the blonde smirked as she felt the pool of wetness at her lover's core "Seems someone enjoyed that little game more than they let on"

The brunette shook her head "You just always have that effect on me"

"Oh I do, do I?"

"Uh huh"

"I always make you get this wet?" the blonde asked, her fingers brushing over her lover's clit.

"Yeah" the brunette breathed.

"And what is it I do to make you get so wet?"

"Everything. The way you look at me. The way you kiss me. The way you touch me"

"So you like it when I touch you?"

"Yesssss" Bette hissed, feeling the blonde's fingers wander down to tease her entrance.

"Good to know" the blonde smirked, removing her hands from her lover.

"Teeeee" the brunette whined in frustration.

"Get on the bed"

The brunette had no choice but to comply, climbing up onto the bed.

"Now go all the way to the end and stand facing the wall"

Again, Bette did as she was told and walked to the head of the bed.

"Put your palms against the wall"

Feeling the bed shift as the blonde got onto it behind her, the brunette squirmed, not liking being unable to see what her lover was doing.

"Now I want you to move your feet backwards slowly, but don't let your hands leave the wall"

Finally the brunette could see where this was going. Never before had she been willing to put herself in such a vulnerable position with someone, but Tina was different. She knew that she had no reason to feel uncertain with the blonde, and so did as she was told. She inched her feet backwards until they were almost a metre from the wall.

"Spread your legs"

Bette complied, moving her feet apart and then holding still.

"So fucking sexy…" the blonde moaned.

She sat back on her heels at the foot of the bed, admiring the sight before her. She would never tire of staring at the brunette's perfect ass, and now that she had parted her thighs, her soaked core had come into the blonde's eyeline. She crawled forwards until she was right behind the brunette, taking hold of her thighs as she let her tongue delve between her lover's legs.

"Oh fuck!" Bette gasped at the unexpected contact.

The blonde moaned as she let her tongue run freely around the brunette's core. She felt like she had been missing out on the taste of a woman for her whole life, and had every intention of making up for it. She slid her tongue under the brunette, feeling her twitch as it made contact with her throbbing clit.

"Teeeee" the brunette moaned, feeling her legs begin to shake.

"Kneel down baby" the blonde said, taking pity on her lover.

Gratefully the brunette knelt down, immediately moving onto all fours where she thought the blonde would want her.

"Mmm it's like you read my mind"

Tina knelt up behind her lover, taking hold of the toy that hung between her legs and dragging the tip of it up and down the brunette's centre.

"Baby…"

"You want something babe?" the blonde smirked.

"Yes"

"And what is it that you want?"

"You"

"You're gonna have to be a bit more specific"

"Fuck me" the brunette hissed.

The desperation in Bette's voice caused the aching between the blonde's legs to intensify. She wanted to tease her more, but was never able to refuse when the brunette spoke to her that way. With one hand resting on the brunette's hip, she took hold of the toy and pressed it against her entrance, slowly pressing forwards until the tip was resting inside her.

"You think you can take it?" she asked, knowing that the brunette would be able to hear the smirk in her voice.

"Yes. Please T, I need you to fuck me"

Tina couldn't help but groan. She grabbed onto both of the brunette's hips and guided her body backwards, watching the dildo as it disappeared inside her lover. The brunette was panting as she felt the toy fill her, moaning in satisfaction as she felt the blonde's thighs press against the back of her own.

"You ready?"

"T…..please…..now!"

With a smirk on her face, the blonde pulled herself backwards before pushing back into the brunette, letting the dildo slide in and out of her. Bette was more than willing to assist with the movements and began to rock herself backwards and forwards, feeling the toy almost pull out of her fully before the blonde slammed it back in again.

"God T….take me…." the brunette panted.

"You're mine babe"

"Yessss"

The two women found an instinctive rhythm between them as the sound of their thighs slapping together mixed with their groans. The dildo seemed to fit Bette perfectly and she loved the way the blonde used it with such confidence. Even the way the blonde dug her fingers into her hips was a turn on for her. With every thrust Tina was adding more force, and the brunette found herself grunting involuntarily as the toy pushed deep inside her.

She whimpered as the toy left her body completely and waited for the blonde to fit it back into her.

"Lean on your elbows babe"

The brunette did so, and was rewarded by the feeling of the blonde running her hands over her ass which was now stuck up in the air.

"You remember that night in the park B?"

"Mmm" the brunette moaned, remembering how hard the blonde had made her come.

"And you remember saying that the first time you had anal sex wasn't gonna be in a park?"

"Uh huh"

"How would you feel about your first time being here, with me, in our bed?"

The brunette took a deep breath, now understanding what the blonde was asking her. She bit her lip, considering it for a moment.

"Yes" she said softly.

"Are you sure? If you don't feel comfortable we don't have to"

"I trust you T. And I don't want anything to be off limits between us. I want you to take me in every way possible"

"You sure?"

Bette looked back over the shoulder and met the concerned gaze of the blonde. As soon as their eyes met, both women knew that this was going to be ok. The blonde leant over her lover's body, bringing their lips together for a tender and reassuring kiss. As she lifted her body back up again, the brunette set herself back on her elbows and tried to relax.

"I'm gonna take this real slow" the blonde purred.

The brunette moaned softly as she felt her lover's hands roaming over her ass, eventually seeking out the hole that she had yet to penetrate. Tina licked her finger before placing it against the brunette's tight hole, slowly beginning to circle it with increasing pressure in order to loosen the muscles.

"How does that feel baby?"

"Mmm…that actually feels really nice"

Tina leant down and placed a kiss on her lover's back as she worked her finger in until it was fully inside the brunette.

"You ready for more?"

"Yeah" the brunette breathed.

She hadn't expected to enjoy it, but when the blonde pulled her finger out and slid it back in, accompanied by a second digit, she was surprised to find a pleasurable sensation taking over her body.

When the blonde heard her lover moan, she couldn't help but grin. Bette was trusting her completely, and the reward was a new found source of pleasure.

"You think you can take it all babe?"

"Mmm" the brunette moaned "just take it slow"

"You know I love to fuck you slow baby" the blonde drawled.

The brunette whimpered in excitement. She felt the toy pressing against her ass, and surprised herself as she pressed back against it. There was a moment of pain as the first part of it pressed into her, and she gasped.

"Are you ok baby?"

"Yeah…just keep going T"

Tina pressed her hips forwards and the toy slid in a lot easier than expected, as it was already coated in the brunette's wetness.

"Oh my god!" the brunette gasped as the toy entered her completely.

"How does that feel?"

Bette was breathing heavily as she let body adjust to the new sensations that it was experiencing. She didn't know quite how to describe it. It was completely different to the way the blonde filled her normally, but different wasn't necessarily a bad thing. It was an odd sensation, but pleasurable all the same.

"It….it feels good" she admitted.

"I think you like things that are bad" the blonde stated huskily.

The brunette shook her head in denial, knowing that actually her lover had hit the nail on the head. There was something so taboo about the act that it made it all the more exciting to her. But she wasn't about to give that information up freely.

As gently as possible, Tina began to ease the dildo out of her lover before pressing it back into her.

"I think you do babe….I think you like the feeling of me fucking you in the ass….you like it because it's bad"

Bette just grunted, the words taken from her as the toy pressed back into her.

"Tell me you like it baby" the blonde commanded.

The brunette was panting as the blonde gradually increased the pace with which she was moving the toy in and out of her.

"You like it…"

"Yesss" the brunette hissed.

Hearing that was all the blonde needed, and she began to rock her hips back and forth, keeping her promise to fuck her lover slowly. With one hand gripping the brunette's hip, she reached under her lover and sought out her clit.

"Oh fuck!" Bette gasped, unprepared for the double stimulation.

The blonde began to circle her clit, feeling how hard it was beneath her fingers. She pressed down on the throbbing nub, rubbing it in circles in the way that she knew would send jolts of pleasure through her body.

The brunette clutched at the sheets, giving herself up to the pleasure that the blonde was giving her. She hadn't thought that she would be able to come from the penetration, but the feeling of Tina playing with her clit was changing all that. Her body felt like it was on fire with all the different ways that the blonde had pleasured her that evening.

"God I love taking you like this" the blonde purred.

"Mmmm you…can take me…anytime baby" Bette panted.

"Fuck you look so sexy"

"T….that feels so good"

Tina was thrusting her hips, knowing that the brunette was far enough gone to be able to take the toy at an increased pace. She could hear a combination of grunts and pants coming from her lover's mouth, and she sped up the circles that she was making on her clit.

"Feel that baby, feel me touching you everywhere"

"Oh fuck….oh fuck…."

The blonde didn't need to be told that her lover was close. She was thrusting as fast as she could, her ministrations on the brunette's clit haphazard as she jerked her hips with every bit of energy that she possessed.

"Oh my god T…oh my god…."

A loud growl came from the brunette as she buried her head in the sheets, her whole body spasming as the orgasm hit her. She collapsed on her front, panting, completely exhausted.

Tina unfastened the harness around her waist as quickly as she could and threw it onto the floor before gently laying her body over her lovers. The brunette moaned softly as she felt the blonde's breasts pressing against her back, their bodies moulding together even from front to back. The blonde pushed aside the curls that covered her lover's shoulders and began leaving a trail of gentle kisses across her toned back.

"Mmm baby….you make me feel so good"

"Someone likes giving up control once in a while, huh?"

"Hmm"

"You don't have to say anything, your body's reactions tell me all I need to know"

The brunette reached up behind her, letting a hand tangle into the blonde's hair. She turned her head as far as it would go and the blonde leant down to kiss her. Their tongues darted out, flicking against one another. Not satisfied with the connection, the blonde pulled up onto her knees.

"Turn over"

Bette shifted beneath her lover and pulled her down for a fuller kiss. Their mouths moved together in perfect symmetry as their tongues lazily caressed one another.

"God I love you" the blonde breathed.

"You're incredible, you know that?"

"Sshh" the blonde blushed, burying her head in the brunette's neck.

"Aww you really can't be shy after everything we just did"

"I love you"

The brunette chuckled "I love you too baby"

With a contented sigh, the blonde settled down, laying half on top of her lover's body with her head tucked under her chin.

"Can we stay like this forever?" she asked after several minutes of comfortable silence.

"Mmm we can definitely try"


	39. Chapter 39

A week had passed and both women had decided that it was time for them to get back to work. Much as Tina was scared of being separated from her girlfriend for prolonged periods of time, she knew she had to get her life back to normal. In an attempt to get back into their usual routine the blonde had volunteered to cook dinner the night before they returned to work, and Bette was suitably impressed by the chicken fricasse and bottle of red wine that her lover had put on the table.

"Mmm this is delicious T" she moaned in approval.

"Why do I feel like this is the Last Supper or something?"

"Hey" the brunette said softly, reaching out to cover her lover's hand with her own "it's gonna be ok baby, you know that"

"I just….I don't want people staring at me and talking about me"

"People may have some questions, but that'll soon die down. And if they do it's only because they're concerned about you"

"I don't want anyone's concern other than yours"

"Well I'm front of the line baby"

Tina smiled softly at her and they continued with their dinner. They both secretly wished they could just shut themselves away from the rest of the world forever, but they knew that it was becoming unhealthy and they couldn't let what had happened to the blonde dictate their lives forever.

When they'd finished their meal, the blonde went to pour herself another glass of wine.

"Just remember you have work in the morning T" Bette pointed out.

"Shit yeah….I wasn't even thinking"

"We can share the rest of it tomorrow night?"

"Yeah that sounds good" the blonde smiled.

The brunette leant over to take her lover's plate and carry it through to the kitchen.

"You wash, I'll dry?" Tina offered, following the brunette.

"You go sit down if you want, I can get this"

"You sure?"

"Yeah it's no problem, you did make dinner after all"

"We make a good team"

The brunette grinned "Yeah we do"

The blonde made her way back through to the living room and settled herself on the sofa, smiling to herself at the fact that she got to pick the tv channel.

A knock came at the door and she froze.

"You want me to get that?" Bette called from the kitchen.

"Umm no it's ok"

The blonde still wasn't completely confident about facing unknown visitors, but she knew she couldn't let the fear control her. She went to the door, and was relieved to find Tasha standing on the doorstep.

"Hi"

"Hi Tina, sorry to intrude like this"

"Not at all, come in"

Tina stepped aside and let the Captain through the door.

"I won't take too much of your time. I just wanted to come round in person to tell you that both Mr Young and your sister have accepted all charges and made formal statements detailing their involvement in your abduction"

"Ok…." the blonde responded, unsure as to what that really meant.

"Their statements also implicate your father heavily, and are consistent with one another"

"That's a good thing, right?"

"It's a really good thing. It also means that if your father goes to trial, it takes a lot of the pressure off your testimony"

"IF it goes to trial?" Bette asked, coming to join the two women.

"The FBI are still hopeful they might be able to persuade Mr Kennard to take a deal that would save Tina from going through a trial"

"Hmm ok" the brunette considered it "They better not let him get off lightly though"

"I can assure you they won't"

"Ok, well thank you for letting us know" the blonde said gratefully.

"I'll leave you two to enjoy your evening"

"Thank you" Bette smiled.

When Tasha had left the blonde shut the door and turned to her lover with a wry smile "So that's good news, huh?"

"Yeah I think it is T. And it would be even better if you could avoid having to go through a trial. If your Dad takes a deal you could really put this all behind you"

"You think he will?" the blonde asked.

"I honestly don't know. I don't think the feds will want to negotiate too much on a deal. And from what I've seen of your father, he's not one to back down easily"

"Oh I know"

"What worries me is that it's quite possible that he won't take a deal because he thinks he's done nothing wrong" the brunette thought out loud.

"That's what I'm thinking too"

"We just have to trust that the police know what they're doing"

"I guess. I just wish it was all over and done with so I could stop thinking about it"

"Maybe I could help distract you" the brunette smirked, stepping in to run a hand up and down her lover's arm.

Tina raised an eyebrow. Usually she would accuse her girlfriend of trying to use sex to avoid the issue, but she knew that sometimes she just needed distracting as there was nothing further she could do at this moment.

"And how might you do that?" she asked, returning Bette's smirk.

"Well, seeing as we both have work in the morning, I was thinking we should maybe get an early night"

"Uh huh….at 8.30?"

"You can never be too careful"

Bette collapsed on top of the blonde, the sweat from their naked bodies merging as she came down from the heights that her lover had just taken her to.

"So how am I doing?" she asked, somewhat out of breath.

"Mmm" the blonde murmured, joining their lips in a soft kiss "you're very very good at distracting me"

"Good" the brunette grinned, feeling herself being pulled down for another kiss "and you're very very good at that"

"I need you again" Tina growled, her body instinctively grinding up against her lover's.

"Oh I'm that good, huh?"

"Quit stoking your ego and make me come"

"Yes ma'am"

The brunette leant down, taking the blonde's top lip into her mouth and running her tongue over it as she let her hands roam up and down her lover's sides. Tina pushed herself upwards, trying to free her lip so that she could return the kiss, but the brunette was unwilling to let it go. Their bodies moved together, both of them revelling of the feeling of their naked skin pressing up against one another.

Finally Bette released her lover's lip and the blonde was quick to initiate a hungry kiss. She let her tongue explore the brunette's mouth as her hands scratched lightly at her back, feeling the shiver run down her spine.

"Spread your legs for me" the brunette breathed against her lover's lips.

"Mmm I love it when you talk dirty to me"

"Oh I haven't even started"

The blonde whimpered and parted her thighs, letting the brunette fall between them. She could feel her lover's pelvis pressing down between her legs and it simply fuelled the aching that she felt further. They rocked together, their tongues teasing one another as they dipped in and out of each other's mouths. The brunette could feel the heat from between her lover's thighs against the lower part of her stomach.

"Mmm I can feel how wet you are baby" she stated huskily.

"It's all you" the blonde breathed.

Bette lifted herself up, bending one of the blonde's legs and angling herself slightly so that she could slowly lower her own core onto her lover's.

"Bette! Fuck!" the blonde gasped.

The brunette bit her lip and couldn't help but moan "Teeee…."

It felt as though a fire had started as the heat that both of them were emitting came together. They slowly began to rock their bodies, their wet cores sliding easily against one another. The friction between their clits was sending jolts of pleasure through their bodies.

"T…god…your clit's so hard"

The blonde just groaned, reaching down to grip the brunette's hips and increase the pressure with which she was grinding against her. She forced herself to keep her eyes open so that she could see the perfect sight of her lover, stark naked with her back arched as she moved back and forth on top of her.

"You like watching me like this?" the brunette rasped, catching her lover staring.

"Fuck yes" the blonde hissed.

"You like me fucking you like this?"

"Mmm yeah….keep talking to me babe"

"You want me to tell you how good this feels? How good your pussy feels against mine?"

Tina groaned, digging her fingers into the brunette's hips in excitement. She increased the speed with which she was rolling her hips, desperate for more of the friction that they were creating.

"God I love feeling your juices all over me" the brunette continued, her pupils almost black with desire as her own words had almost as great an effect on her as it did on the blonde.

"Bette!"

"Can you see baby? Can you see how good our pussies look together?"

The blonde growled. She found Bette's voice sexy at the best of times, but with the added huskiness that was a sign of her arousal, combined with the words that were spilling from her mouth, the blonde could feel tingles shooting through her body.

"T….you feel so good baby….I just want to fuck you over and over…"

"Never stop….never stop fucking me…"

They had created a matching rhythm and moved together as if they had been doing so for years. The bond between them built a foundation where the simplest of looks could put them in perfect synchronisation, sending shivers down their spines. They could feel their own centres twitching as neither was aware where their own body ended and the other's began.

"Babe…..fuck….so good…." Tina panted.

"Oh my god…I can feel you….oh my fucking god…"

"I'm gonna come….Bette….FFUUUUUCCCKKKKKKK!"

Bette let out a cry as she saw her lover's face contort, feeling her centre contract as the spasms transferred from one woman to the other. They bucked against one another, riding out the orgasm. Finally the tension left the brunette's body and she found herself collapsing forwards and covering the blonde.

"Oh my god babe…" Tina whimpered, wrapping herself around her lover.

"You feel so good"

"I love you"

Tears formed in the blonde's eyes at the intensity of the emotions she was experiencing. Instinctively, without even looking up, the brunette sensed her lover's emotion and pulled her closer.

"I'm here baby. I love you so much"

"Promise me this is gonna be ok?" the blonde asked tearfully.

"I promise sweetheart. I won't let anything bad happen"


	40. Chapter 40

Tina's hands shook as she fumbled with the buttons of her shirt.

"Here, let me" Bette said softly, coming to her girlfriend's aid.

"Thanks" the blonde smiled gratefully "I guess I'm a little nervous"

"You have every right to be nervous baby. But just think, after today your part in this will all be over"

Today was the first day of the trial of John Kennard. Tina was the prosecution's star witness and she would be testifying first. Her father had entered a plea of not guilty, so a full trial would proceed. Thankfully, the prosecution had a collection of witnesses that they hoped would persuade the jury of his guilt.

The blonde took hold of the brunette's hands as they finished buttoning her shirt "I just wish I could have you there with me"

"I know baby. But I have to testify tomorrow so I can't be in the court room. But I promise, I'll be right outside waiting for you"

"Won't you get bored?"

"I don't care. I'll wait as long as it takes"

"When this is all over, I'm gonna show you just how grateful I am" the blonde attempted to wink, but failed.

The brunette chuckled "I'll look forward to it baby"

They left the bedroom and Bette handed her lover her suit jacket before pulling on her own. While she wasn't actually going to be in court herself, she still wanted to appear well-presented.

"You ready T?"

"Yeah…I think so"

The brunette took hold of Tina's hand as they left the house and made their way to her Saab. The drive to the district court wasn't long, but they left in plenty of time to make sure the blonde got to sit down with the Prosecutor before the start of the trial and not feel too rushed.

Once they reached the court they were directed through to the witness waiting area. The Prosecutor, Joyce Wishnia, came out to greet them.

"Ladies" she acknowledged them with a nod.

"Mrs Wishnia" Bette returned the polite nod.

"I thought I should come out and see you before we get started" Joyce addressed Tina "and make sure you're ready"

"I'm ready as I can be" the blonde replied.

"Is everything ready?" the brunette asked.

"Absolutely. I'm hopeful that the opening arguments will be over within an hour or two, and then it'll be time for Tina to take the stand"

"Ok" the blonde nodded nervously.

"Is there somewhere we can wait?" Bette asked, placing a hand on the small of her girlfriend's back.

"There's a witness room right up here, I'll take you to it. We have a separate room for prosecution witnesses so you don't have to worry about being disturbed"

"Thanks"

The two women followed Joyce a few hundred metres up the corridor to the witness room.

"Any last questions before I go and get ready?"

"What sort of things do you think they'll ask me?" Tina asked.

"I'm not going to lie to you, the Defence Attorney, Faye Buckley, she's a nasty piece of work. She'll attempt to discredit you or pull holes in your story. Failing that, she tends to go for character assassination. But all you have to do is keep calm, and tell your story. She won't find any holes because you're telling the truth. And I can't see much that she can say against your character"

"Ok"

"Right, well the clerk will be in to get you when we're ready for you. Depending on how long it takes, the Judge may take a lunch break following the opening arguments. But you'll be kept informed"

"Thank you"

And with that, Joyce left the two women alone.

As Joyce had predicted, the Judge had taken a recess after the opening arguments and the court was scheduled to resume at 1pm. With five minutes to go, Tina was visibly shaking.

"Come here" Bette said softly, pulling her into her arms.

"What if I just go blank and forget everything? What if they make out I'm lying?"

"They'll see you baby, and they'll see what a good person you are. Just focus on the questions and tell the truth. It's all gonna be ok"

The brunette leant down and kissed her lover softly. They stayed in each other's arms until a knock came on the door.

"Miss Kennard?" asked the young man, sticking his head around the door.

"Yes?"

"We're ready for you"

The blonde turned to Bette for one last kiss before she followed the clerk.

"Good luck T" the brunette called after her.

Tina turned and smiled weakly at her girlfriend before she disappeared out of view.

The first part of the blonde's testimony had gone smoothly. She'd been able to answer all of Joyce's questions without hesitation, and was satisfied that she had got her version of events across to the jury. She'd kept her composure but didn't come across as too self-assured. There could be no doubt in the mind of the jurors that this woman had suffered and continued to be distressed by the events that had occurred almost eight months ago.

However, it was now the turn of her father's attorney. The blonde swallowed deeply and prepared herself for the onslaught.

"Miss Kennard, how would you describe your relationship with your father prior to the events which brought about these charges?" Faye Buckley asked her.

"Umm…strained I guess. We hadn't spoken in years"

"And who's choice was that?"

"I wouldn't say it was a conscious choice, at least on my part anyway. My father didn't approve of the life I was living and every time we did speak it ended up in an argument"

"So it's fair to say you hold a fair amount of resentment for your father?"

"Maybe in the past. But I couldn't carry that with me forever. I had to move on with my life, and my father chose not to be a part of that. I've never been opposed to a reconciliation so long as it was genuine. But he wasn't prepared to accept the choices I made, and so he made the decision to stay out of my life"

"And what were these choices that your father didn't approve of?"

"My friends. My decision to go away to college"

"You mention your friends. Would it be fair to say that they lead a somewhat 'alternative' lifestyle?"

"If you're referring to the fact that a lot of my friends are homosexual, then yes. But I don't see it as alternative"

"You don't?"

"No. People aren't defined by their sexuality. You wouldn't say someone lead an alternative liftestyle because they chose to date an African-American, or a Jew, or a British person. The same goes for my friends. They're no different from any other person in this room, they just happen to date women"

"And what about your own sexual preference Miss Kennard?"

"Over the years I've come to realise that I'm bisexual"

"And when exactly did you come to this conclusion? Was it in the weeks preceeding your wedding to Henry Young?"

"No….it happened a long time before that. But it's not something that just hits you and you change from one day to the next. It's something you have to come to terms with and it took me years to realise how I was feeling"

"But you do admit you began a relationship with a woman while you were still planning your wedding?"

"No. I fell in love with someone else, but our relationship didn't begin until after my relationship with Henry was over"

"And who was that someone else?"

"Bette Porter"

"Bette Porter. Was she one of these friends that your father disapproved of?"

"Yes"

"So would it be correct to say that at the point at which your relationship with Ms Porter commenced, your father's worst fears had been realised? That the influence of your friends had finally converted you to an unnatural way of thinking?"

"It wasn't like that at all"

"That wasn't my question Miss Kennard"

"I don't know what my father was thinking. If that's the way he saw it, he certainly wasn't being rational"

"And what impact do you think your decision to enter a relationship with a woman had on your family?"

"My mother was fine with it. I don't know about my father or sister"

"Would you care to hazard a guess?"

"Objection!" Joyce called out "The witness is being asked to speculate about something she has no knowledge of"

"I'll rephrase the question your Honour. Knowing your father's past opinions about the lifestyle of your friends, is it likely that he would have approved of your new relationship with Ms Porter?"

"I highly doubt it"

"And would you care to tell the jury when you ended your relationship with Mr Young?"

"It was on the day of the wedding, but…"

"And where did you end that relationship Miss Kennard?"

"At the church, but…"

"I have no further questions for this witness your Honour"

The Judge nodded "Re-examination Miss Wishnia?"

"Thank you, your Honour. Miss Kennard, you were asked about the end of your relationship with Mr Young. Can you explain why you remained in the relationship when you had fallen in love with someone else?"

"I was struggling to come to terms with my feelings. I'd known that I was attracted to women for a long time, but acting on it was a whole lot different. And much as I'd had my problems with my family, I still didn't want to disappoint them. And when I was told that my mother was dying and she wanted to see me marry Henry, I wanted to fulfill her dying wish"

"And was your mother in fact dying?"

"No"

"When did you find out the truth?"

"The morning of the wedding"

"And what were the circumstances in which you had been told she was dying in the first place?"

"Henry told me"

"So what happened when you found out the truth?"

"I ended the relationship. I wish I hadn't had to do it in the church, but by the time I found out, Henry was already there. By that point the only reason I was getting married was to make my mother happy, and when I learned that I had her support, I made the decision to call off the wedding and call him out on his lie"

"And how did Mr Young react?"

"Badly. He's a very proud man and I'm sure it was embarassing for him"

"And are you aware of when your father found out about it?"

"No, I'm sorry"

"You were asked earlier about the breakdown of your relationship with your father, and you spoke about how he disapproved of your friends. Was this the start of the problems between you?"

"I would say that was the final straw. But it started long before then"

"When would you say it started?"

"Probably when I entered my teens. I became far more independent than my father would have liked. He wanted me to just complete my studies, stay at home and get married. But I always wanted to see more of the world, have a career of my own"

"And your father didn't like that?"

"Not at all. We used to argue all the time"

"And were these verbal or physical arguments?"

"They started off as verbal, but on occasions the did turn physical"

"In what way were they physical?"

"My father would strike me sometimes. Usually it was just a slap round the face or a shove. When I told him I'd sent off my college application he threw me against the wall and punched me"

"Where did he punch you?"

"In the face"

"And were you hurt at all?"

"My nose bled, and I had a black eye. I was able to hide it with make up though"

"Thank you Miss Kennard, I have no further questions"

The Judge acknowledged Joyce and then turned back to Faye Buckley "Any further questions for this witness Miss Buckley?"

"Just one your Honour. Did you ever receive medical treatment for these injuries that you claim your father inflicted?"

"No"

"I have nothing further for this witness your Honour"

The Judge nodded "Thank you Miss Kennard, you are excused"

Taking a deep breath, the blonde stepped down from the stand and was led out of the courtroom by the clerk. She was taken back to the room where she found Bette waiting for her. The second she opened the door, the brunette got to her feet and pulled her into her arms. Sensing that the two women needed to be alone, the clerk left them to it.

"You ok baby?" the brunette asked softly.

"She's horrible Bette. It was like she was trying to make out this was all my fault for breaking up with Henry"

"She's a defence attorney T, they're all like that. But the jury will see past it ok, there's no excuse for what your father did"

"I'm just glad it's over"

They held each other close and only separated when Joyce came into the room.

"The Judge has adjourned for the day, I'll get to call the rest of my witnesses tomorrow"

"How do you think it went?" Bette asked, keeping an arm round her girlfriend.

"Couldn't have gone better. Tina here did a fantastic job, I think she should have the sympathy of the jury"

"So you don't think Miss Buckley's tactics worked?" the brunette questioned.

"No I honestly don't think so. It seemed like she was clutching at straws. It might wash with an extreme homophobe, but people are more likely to be horrified that a father could go to such lengths against his daughter. But I do warn you, from the way she's warming up, I think her idea might be to paint you as some sort of evil witch who cast a spell over Tina?"

"Bring it on, I've handled her type before and I'll do it again"

"Just be wary of coming across too arrogant on the stand" Joyce warned.

"Bette? Arrogant? Never!" Tina said sarcastically.

"Oi you"

Joyce had to laugh at the two women "I'm gonna get off home, but I assume I'll be seeing you both in the morning?"

"Yeah, I'd like to sit in for the rest of the trial if that's ok?" Tina asked.

"Of course, the Judge has cleared it for all witnesses to stay in court if they wish to do so"

"Thanks Miss Wishnia. We'll see you in the morning" Bette said, shaking Joyce's hand.

As Joyce left the room, the blonde returned to the brunette's arms immediately.

"So how about the big evil witch takes her poor little princess home?"

"You can cast your spell over me anytime"


	41. Chapter 41

It was day two of the trial, and Bette's turn to walk nervously to the court room. Tina had kissed her and wished her luck and taken her own place in the public gallery. While the brunette was confident of her ability on the stand, she couldn't deny that she was nervous as a result of how much the outcome meant to her girlfriend.

She took the stand and was instantly put at ease by Joyce, who took her through her evidence. She told the court about the day that Tina disappeared, and the events in the chapel in North Carolina. When Joyce was finished with her questioning she thanked her, and the brunette turned her attention to the approaching Faye Buckley. Bette took an instant disliking to her. There was something in her eyes, almost a look of disgust, and it had the brunette on the back foot immediately.

"Miss Porter, when did you first attempt to seduce Miss Kennard?"

"Excuse me?"

"Answer the question Miss Porter"

"I did not 'attempt to seduce her' as you put it. I fell in love with her"

"You decided you wanted your straight friend, and you pursued her, isn't that right?"

"No"

"You wore her down, didn't you? Made a move on her over and over again until you had her believing that it was ok have some sort of pseudo relationship with you?"

"A pseudo relationship?! I can assure you that there is nothing fake about the relationship that I have with Tina"

"Isn't it true that you spent years lusting after your heterosexual best friend?"

"I've been in love with her for a long time. But I didn't pursue her. Everything that has transpired between us has been on Tina's terms. And the fact that she chose to enter into a relationship with me suggests that she isn't quite as heterosexual as you're portraying her"

"So you're suggesting that Miss Kennard suddenly changed her sexuality without any influence from you?"

"People don't suddenly change their sexuality. Sometimes they discover feelings that they've been suppressing over the years and eventually they come to terms with their true sexual identity"

"Was Miss Kennard ever involved with a woman besides yourself?"

"Not that I know of"

"So throughout her life, you've been the only woman that Miss Kennard has been involved with sexually. Does that not suggest that you were responsible for the sudden change of heart?"

"As I explained before, the change wasn't sudden. And I don't doubt that her feelings for me played a part in her realising who she really was. But the decision was all hers"

"Are you a religious woman Miss Porter?"

"No. I prefer not to involve myself in something that people use as justification for their prejudices"

"So you are aware that the Bible condemns homosexuality as a sin?"

"I'm aware of the way that some people interpret it, yes"

"And so you are aware that God punishes sinners?"

"I believe that the law punishes wrongdoers"

"And what about sins that aren't punishable by US law? How do you believe they are punished?"

"Perhaps you could be a bit more specific"

"Homosexuality Miss Porter. How do you believe that is punished?"

"I don't believe that love should ever be punished"

"And you believe that Miss Kennard loves you?"

"I have no doubt about that"

"You don't think it could be just an infatuation?"

"Absolutely not"

Faye Buckley shuffled her papers before continuing "Miss Porter, we've heard today your valiant tale of how you came to Miss Kennard's rescue. Would you care to tell the court how you came to know that she was at the registry office?"

"Mr Kennard called Tina's mother and told her about the wedding"

"And how was it that you came to be in North Carolina with Mrs Kennard?"

"Mrs Kennard had told me that her other daughter and a friend were going to visit her. I believed that friend to be Henry Young and I suspected he was involved in Tina's disappearance, so myself and Shane McCutcheon went to North Carolina to find out for ourselves"

"Let's not beat around the bush here Miss Porter, isn't it true that you were stalking Mr Young?"

"The police had stopped their surveillance, so I decided to keep an eye on him. I believed him to be involved and it turned out that I was right"

"You are aware that stalking is a crime Miss Porter?"

"I am aware of that, but watching someone isn't stalking. Stalking must include actions which instill fear in the victim. We were merely observing Mr Young's behaviour"

"And isn't it true that you assaulted the defendant by punching him when you did arrive at the registry office?"

"He had just tried to kill me. I punched him to prevent him from strangling me again"

"I have no further questions your Honour"

"Your witness Miss Wishnia"

"Thank you, your Honour. Miss Porter, when Mr Kennard was strangling you, were you in fear for your life?"

"Absolutely. I was trying to fight him off, but he was just too strong. His hands were around my throat and I couldn't breathe. He'd completely lost it and I have no doubt that he would have killed me if the other hadn't intervened"

"Thank you Miss Porter, I have no further questions for you"

When Bette was excused by the Judge, she joined Tina in the public gallery. They squeezed one another's hands, relieved that at least their part of the trial was over. Now they just had to trust in Joyce Wishnia and the remaining witnesses for the prosecution.

Shane was called to the stand, and her testimony about the events that occurred in the registry office mirrored both of her friends'. Once again, Faye Buckley attempted to assassinate her character, but Shane was more than used to being spoken down to. She kept her cool, and gave a small nod to Bette and Tina as she left the courtroom.

The court adjourned for lunch, and Bette and Tina headed to the cafe. Neither woman felt like eating, but they managed to share a salad. They barely spoke, both of them lost in their own thoughts. They were painfully aware that it wouldn't be long before Henry took the stand, and although it was in the terms of his deal with the prosecution, they were still afraid of what he might say.

When they returned to the court, it was Tina's mother that was called to give her evidence. She too gave a matching account of the events in the registry office, and was also asked about her estranged husband's behaviour towards her in prior years. She described his volatile personality, and how he had in fact raised a hand to her in the past.

Faye Buckley's cross examination was short.

"Mrs Kennard, did you ever require medical attention following your husband's alleged assaults on you?"

"No"

"And did you ever report these incidents to the police?"

"No"

"Thank you, I have no further questions for this witness"

Jackie was excused and elected to join Tina and Bette in the public gallery. She wanted to see her husband pay for the hell that he had put her daughter through.

All three women were intrigued to hear what Charlotte Kennard had to say as she entered the courtroom in her prison attire. It seemed from her testimony that she had unwittingly set into motion the chain of events that led to Tina's abduction. Henry had gone to her following his visit to Bette's house, and she in turn had reported the events to her father. She claimed not to have known what he was planning, but when she had found out that the wedding was back on in North Carolina, she knew that some form of cohersion had been involved. Instead of asking questions, she had gone along with the plan and assisted in the wedding arrangements.

Faye Buckley's tactics were apparent from the start of her cross examination.

"Miss Kennard, you are testifying here as a result of a deal you made with the prosecution, is that correct?"

"Yes"

"And what were the terms of the deal?"

"A three year sentence for pleading guilty to being an accessory to kidnap"

"So you received a lesser sentence in return for your testimony today?"

"I received a three year sentence. I don't know if it would have been higher if I hadn't testified"

"Thank you, I have no further questions"

It was finally time for Henry to take the stand. As he entered the courtroom in a jumpsuit with handcuffs around his wrists, he glanced at Tina. She met his eyes with a cold stare.

The Henry who gave evidence in court was a shadow of the man that he had been before he went to prison. While the disdain that the blonde felt for him would never fade, she knew him well enough to see that the realisation of what he had done had dawned on him. She watched as he responded to Joyce's questions and for the first time in a long while, she actually believed what he was saying.

"At what point did you realise the extent of Mr Kennard's plan?"

"On the day of the abduction when he showed up at my house. I know I shouldn't have gone along with it, but I was desperate. I thought maybe if Tina's dad talked to her, she might come around"

"Did you know he was planning to take Miss Kennard to North Carolina?"

"No. But when I found out, I figured she'd be with her family"

"And when you were questioned by the police, and later by Miss Porter, why did you not tell anyone that you in fact knew where she was?"

"I made a huge mistake, but I was just so desperate to get Tina back. I thought, if everyone just left her alone for a few days, maybe she'd change her mind. I didn't think any harm would come to her"

"And when you were in the registry office, you witnessed the acts of violence committed by Mr Kennard. If you hadn't realised what he was planning, why did you not try and stop him?"

"I was in shock. And I'll admit, I hate Miss Porter, I hate her for taking away my fiancee. I should have done something, but I didn't, and now I have to live with that"

"Thank you Mr Young, I have no further questions at this time"

"Your witness Miss Buckley"

"Thank you your Honour. Mr Young, you appear today as part of a plea bargain, is that correct?"

"Yes it is ma'am"

"And what are the terms of your plea"

"I pled guilty in return for a five year sentence"

"And would you have testified if it hadn't been part of your plea agreement?"

"Yes, I honestly would. I love Tina and I deeply regret the suffering that she's been through. I owe it to her to tell the truth"

As Henry finished his testimony, Tina took Bette's hand in hers and squeezed it.

"That concludes the prosecution's case your Honour" Joyce stated, putting down her papers.

"Thank you Miss Wishnia. Jurors, you are excused for the day"

The jurors left the court and it was the turn of Faye Buckley to ask for a motion of demurrer, that is for the case to be dismissed due to a lack of evidence, as was usual trial procedure. The Judge immediately denied the motion, and indicated that the defense must be ready to proceed with their evidence the following day.

Outside the court, Tina stood with Bette and her mother and waited to speak with Joyce. The prosecutor approached them, seemingly pleased with the way that the trial had gone so far.

"So how do you think it's going?" Bette asked her.

"I'm quietly confident. I can see what Faye Buckley's trying to do, but I just can't see her convincing the jury that Mr Kennard's actions were justified"

"Will he take the stand?" Tina asked quietly.

"It's highly likely. It's the only way that he'll be able to put his excuses across"

"Do me a favour and tear him a new one, will you?" Bette asked, only half joking.

"I'll do my best"

They said their goodbyes and Bette and Tina headed home while Jackie returned to her hotel. They had offered her the guest room at the house, but Jackie had declined, saying that the two women needed to be alone to deal with the impact of the trial.

"Babe?" Tina asked as they walked into the house together "Do you think we could just get a take away tonight?"

"Sure T, whatever you want"

"I just want to snuggle up with you and not move until tomorrow"

"That sounds perfect"

And they did just that. The take away was delivered to the house and they ate it sat side by side on the sofa. When they were finally full, Bette laid back on the sofa and let the blonde lie between her legs with her head rested on her chest.

"Do you honestly think they'll convict him?" Tina wondered out loud.

"I have faith in our justice system T. I can't see how anyone could have any doubts as to his guilt after everything they've heard"

The blonde seemed satisfied with the answer. She had to trust in her girlfriend's confidence, and knew that she couldn't let herself be plagued by fears. With any luck, she would have her closure in a matter of days.


	42. Chapter 42

For the third day of the trial, Bette and Tina were joined in the public gallery by their friends. They hoped that their presence would intimidate John Kennard or anger him to the point where the jury would get to see his true colours. And more importantly, they wanted to be there in a display of solidarity for Tina.

As John Kennard took the stand, the entire courtroom stared at him, waiting to see if the picture they had been painted of this man was accurate. As opposed to her previous confrontational stance, Faye Buckley was attempting to create sympathy for her client.

"Mr Kennard, when did you first hear about your daughter experimenting with her sexuality?"

"It was when Charlotte called me and told me what Henry had told her"

"And how did you feel when you found out?"

"I was….devastated. For so many years I'd worried about the influence that Tina's friends were having on her. And just like that, my worst fears were realised"

"Do you believe your daughter is gay Mr Kennard?"

"No. I know my daughter, I've known her longer than any of those women. But she's easily led by others and over the years I know they've managed to persuade her to start acting like them"

The women in the public gallery were seething, but managed to keep themselves under control. Tina had to place a hand on her girlfriend's thigh to relax her.

"And would you tell the court what you decided to do when you heard the news?"

"I knew that I had to talk to her, to make her see sense. I knew that if I could separate her from her friends, she'd go back to being the real Tina"

John went on to explain how he had driven to Henry's house and together they had located Tina at the Planet and taken her. He'd then driven her to his home in North Carolina.

"And what happened during the days that Miss Kennard was at your home?"

"I asked my friend from the church to come and talk to her, to explain to her the sin that she had been committing"

"Are you a religious man?"

"Very much so. I follow the word of the Lord and try to live my life as he would wish"

"And did the talking work?"

"Yes, it seemed to. Tina realised that she wanted to marry Henry"

"Did you hit your daughter while she was at your home?"

"Never"

"And did you threaten her or her friends?"

"No, she wasn't acting under duress"

"Were you holding your daughter prisoner?"

"No, she was free to leave at any time. She chose to stay in my home"

"Mr Kennard, your daughter has told the court that you locked her in your home, were violent towards her and threatened to kill her lover if she did not marry Mr Young. What do you have to say to that?"

"It's that Porter woman. My daughter was fine until she was around her. And as soon as she had her back in her clutches, it's like the Devil was speaking again"

"We've heard testimony from your other daughter and Mr Young which is somewhat negative about you, do you have anything to say about that?"

"I don't know why they're saying that. But you know, people do crazy things to save their own skin"

"A number of witnesses have testified as to your violent behaviour in the registry office, can you explain that?"

"Yes, everything I did, I did to protect my daughter. Maybe I was a little excessive, but what father takes chances when it comes to their child? I just wanted to save her"

"Thank you, I have no further questions at this time"

"Your witness Miss Wishnia"

Joyce got to her feet, her eyes cold as she approached the witness stand "Mr Kennard, are you homophobic?"

"I believe that homosexuality is a sin"

"And why do you believe that?"

"Because I follow the Bible ma'am"

"What does the Bible say about violence Mr Kennard?"

"It's a necessary evil when it comes to protecting your family"

"You are aware of the Ten Commandments I assume?"

"Of course"

"Can you tell me what the sixth commandment is?"

"Thou shall not kill"

"Were you trying to kill Miss Porter?"

"No, I was just trying to give Tina a chance to get free"

"You put your hands around her throat"

"Yes"

"And you squeezed"

"Not very hard"

"She was struggling for breath and you just carried on squeezing"

"She was fine"

"And what about when you struck your daughter?"

"It was an accident, I would never hurt her intentionally"

"Have you ever been violent towards your daughter?"

"Never"

"She has testified that you have struck her on previous occasions before she went to college"

"It's not true, they've been twisting her mind again"

"Have you ever struck your estranged wife?"

"Never"

"She says that you have"

"She's bitter because I filed for divorce. She has a vested interest in seeing me convicted, you can't trust what she says"

"So let me get this straight. Tina's testimony is flawed because she has been influenced by others, Charlotte and Henry are lying to further their own interests, your wife is lying to benefit her in the divorce settlement. Is that right?"

"That's correct ma'am"

"And what about the other witnesses? The women sat up there in the public gallery?"

John looked up and stared straight at Bette, his eyes icily cold.

"What about Miss McCutcheon's testimony, do you dispute that?"

"They're all in it together. She's one of them, she'd do whatever they told her to"

"And is Miss Porter lying?"

"You can't trust a word that woman says, she's polluted my daughter's mind. She's evil and wants me out of the way so that she can continue to abuse Tina"

"Tina told the court that she's happy in her relationship, yet you describe it as abuse. Can you explain that?"

John pointed at Bette "It's the hold that she has on her. She's got into her brain, making her think that what they have is real"

The anger in Tina's father was evident to all in the room. Joyce was getting the reaction that she had wanted.

"How do you feel about Miss Porter?"

"I feel sorry for her because she's going to burn in hell"

"Do you think she deserves to go to hell?"

"Yes, she's committed the most despicable of sins and she deserves to be punished"

"Do you think she deserves to die for what she's done to your daughter?"

"God will punish her as he sees fit"

"And what punishment do you think is fit?"

"Eternal hell, she needs to suffer"

"You want her to suffer?"

"Yes"

"Did you try to make her suffer?"

"I tried"

"Thank you, I have no further questions"

John was snarling, unaware that he had played right into the prosecutor's hands. His hatred for Bette was clear for all to see. The defense had played their card, and it seemed to have backfired. But still, no-one knew what the opinions of the jurors were. They had no further witnesses to call, and so the defense rested.

"Does the prosecution wish to adduce any further evidence in rebuttal?" the Judge asked Joyce.

"No your Honour"

"In that case we will adjourn for lunch and recommence this afternoon with closing arguments. Are both parties ready to proceed?"

Both attorneys indicated that they were indeed ready, and the court duly adjourned for lunch.

When the court resumed, the women in the public gallery were visibly nervous. While they were confident in the case, they still didn't know what arguments Faye Buckley would come up with.

As it was a federal case, the prosecution were the first to make their arguments. Joyce took to the floor and addressed the jury.

"You've heard many accounts of the events that took place 8 months ago. Some of the facts aren't in dispute, but what I ask you to consider is the actions of the defendant and his reasonaing behind them. He has told you today that he didn't keep the victim prisoner, that she went along with the wedding of her own volition. But I ask you to consider the testimony of the victim herself. I ask you to believe her when she says she's happy in her relationship with Bette Porter. And if she's happy, why would she go along with the wedding unless it was as a result of threats?"

Joyce went on to sum up the witnesses testimonies for the jury, emphasising each and every one of John's crimes.

"I implore you to find that based on the numerous accounts of the events in the registry office, that you can be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that Mr Kennard tried to kill Bette Porter and assaulted his own daughter. You saw his own anger today when he spoke of their relationship. You saw with your own eyes his hatred and his prejudiced beliefs. You have seen the medical evidence relating to the injuries suffered by both women. On the one hand you have the defendant's testimony, on the other hand you have a wealth of evidence from numerous sources. I ask you to take on board all that evidence, and find that the only conclusion you can come to is to find this man guilty"

And with that, Joyce returned to her seat. Faye Buckley refused to look at her as she commenced her own closing arguments. She reminded the jury of the standard of proof that they must be satisfied had been reached.

"The prosecution has sought to adduce evidence that my client has a violent temper, that he has a history of abusing his wife and daughter. Yet there is not an ounce of medical evidence to support this and no police reports. My client maintains that everything he did, he did out of love for his daughter. He wanted to protect her from the unwanted influence of her friends. His aim wasn't to instill fear in her, but rather to save her. He never tried to kill Miss Porter, he was simply seeking to rescue his daughter from the life that she had been dragged into. He lives by the Bible and should be commended for that, not punished. Yes, you have heard from a number of witnesses, all of whom stand to gain from their testimony"

As predicted, Faye Buckley went on to attempt to discredit all the witnesses that had given evidence to the court. She attempted to present John Kennard as a good Christian man, and all the prosecution witnesses as sinners and deviants.

"Just take this thought with you. If your daughter was being brainwashed, would you stand back and let it happen? Or would you take the necessary steps to save her? John Kennard is on trial today for the act of being a good father. And for that reason, I ask you to find that you have no option but to find him not guilty"

Finally, the defense rested, and Joyce was allowed to make a final statement on behalf of the prosecution.

"What you are being offered by the defense is excuses. Just remember this. Religious beliefs do not justify violence, they do not justify breaking the law. And homophobia is never, ever and excuse for the suffering that he has inflicted on his daughter and those close to her"

That was it. The case was handed over to the jury. The courtroom emptied and Bette and Tina understood that it was simply a waiting game. Along with their friends, they headed to the court cafe and sat at a table drinking coffee.

The blonde rested her head on her lover's shoulder. The whole process of the trial had been emotionally exhausting for her, and she just hoped that the jury wouldn't take too long over their deliberations.

A little over an hour later they were approached by the clerk who told them that the Judge had dismissed everyone for the day. They would have to return the next morning to see if the jurors could come to a unanimous decision.


	43. Chapter 43

The sun was shining outside, but those who were awaiting the verdict in the trial of John Kennard hadn't even noticed. The prosecution room was full to the brim as Joyce, Bette and Tina were joined by Jackie and all their friends. Even Tasha had been dragged along with Alice. The bin was filling rapidly with empty coffee cups as the women took it in turns to head to the vending machine, none of them sure what else to do.

"Seriously, what do they have to think about?" Alice asked in frustration.

"This normal when there's several charges on the indictment, they have to be in complete agreement on everything" Tasha explained.

"I knew there was a reason I brought you along"

Bette and Tina were stood to one side, and the rest of their friends knew that it was best to give them their space.

"Do you want something to eat T?" Bette asked.

"I don't think I can eat, I feel so sick"

"Well if you do want something, I can go get it for you ok?"

"Thank you" Tina smiled at her gratefully.

"You know me, when I get nervous I like to take control"

The blonde laughed lightly "Oh I know"

A knock came at the door, and every pair of eyes turned to watch as the clerk came into the room.

"The jury's back"

Three words that caused Tina to freeze, her nails digging into Bette's hand. The rest of the women filtered out of the room, leaving the two lover's to take their time. The brunette pulled the blonde into her arms and kissed the top of her head.

"It's gonna be ok baby"

"What if….what if they don't…."

"Whatever happens, we'll deal with it ok? For now we just have to have faith in the justice system"

Tina nodded and allowed herself to be led out of the room by the brunette. They held onto each other's hands tightly as they joined their friends in the public gallery. John Kennard was brought back into the dock, and both attorneys looked quietly confident as the jury returned to their seats.

The entire courtroom stood as the Judge re-entered, and then sat down nervously. The clerk took a piece of paper from the foreman of the jury and handed it to the Judge. After looking at the paper, the Judge directed his attention back to the jury box.

"Mr foreman, is this a verdict on which you are all agreed?"

"Yes your Honour"

"Thank you. Will the defendant please stand"

Bette and Tina squeezed one another's hands as hard as was humanly possible as they watched John get to his feet.

The Judge began to read from the piece of paper in front of him "On the charge of abduction and unlawful restraint, we the jury find the defendant guilty"

Tina let out a deep breath, the tension instantly seeming to fall from her body.

"On the charge of the attempted murder of Elizabeth Porter, we the jury find the defendant not guilty. On the lesser indicted charge of assault against Elizabeth Porter, we the jury find the defendant guilty"

Bette gritted her teeth, trying not to let her anger show.

"On the charge of assault against Christina Kennard, we the jury find the defendant guilty"

All eyes were on John Kennard as the jury were dismissed, his nostrils flaring in anger as he watched the twelve men and women leave the courtroom.

"We will reconvene this afternoon for sentencing. The court is adjourned" the Judge stated, getting to his feet.

As soon as the Judge had left the courtroom, a buzz of conversation spread amongst those in the public gallery.

"Are you ok?" Tina turned to her girlfriend.

"I guess I'm a bit disappointed, but so long as he goes away for a long time, I don't care what crime it's for"

"He's really gonna go to jail, isn't he?"

"I'm certain of it"

The blonde had to smile in relief. For the first time since the trial had begun, she really had the feeling that this was all going to be over.

"And however long he goes away for, it's for what he did to both of us ok?"

"Do you have any idea how much I love you?" the brunette responded, fighting back tears.

"I might just let you show me tonight"

The two women joined their friends in the prosecution room again for the lunch break, but this time the atmosphere was much lighter. When Joyce entered the room she headed straight for the happy couple.

"So I'm guessing you two are pretty pleased?" she asked them with a smile.

"Just a bit. Thank you so much Joyce" Tina smiled back at her.

"Well my job's not done yet. Let's see if I can get the bastard the sentence he deserves"

"How long do you think he's looking at?" Bette asked her.

"It's hard to tell. I'll be pushing for at least 20 years, but it depends what the Judge thinks of their mitigation plea"

"Can there really be any excuses for what he did?"

"Personally I don't think so. But you never know what that weasel Faye Buckley will come up with"

When the women returned to the courtroom, the nerves were beginning to fade. They had faith in Joyce Wishnia and her abilities. She hadn't let them down so far, and had no intention of doing so in the sentencing hearing.

It was the turn of the prosecution first, and Joyce immediately indicated that she was seeking the maximum applicable sentence, that being life imprisonment. She detailed the aggravating factors of the case, including the use of threats and violence, and the fact that it was a hate crime. She spoke of the increased fear that had been caused to Tina by the fact that it was her own father who had abducted her.

When it was Faye Buckley's turn to speak, she attempted to lessen the gravity of the offences. She once again sought to paint Bette as the real villain, one who had provoked John Kennard mentally by seducing his daughter, and then physically in the altercation in the registry office. She asked the Judge to place a lot of weight on the fact that John Kennard had no previous convictions, and was an upstanding member of the Christian community.

When the Judge rose to consider the sentence, Bette was fuming, her fists clenching in anger. Women like Faye Buckley disgusted her, and in the brunette's mind, she was almost as bad as John Kennard himself. It was only when she felt the soft hand of her lover coming to rest on her thigh that she allowed herself to relax. The soft strokes of the blonde's thumb on her leg never failed to have a calming effect on her, and she closed her eyes and simply let herself focus on her girlfriend's touch.

Fifteen minutes later the Judge returned and order John Kennard to stand once again.

"Mr Kennard, I have considered what has been said to me by both your attorney, and the attorney for the prosecution. I have taken into account the aggravating factors in your case, and to be honest, I am satisfied that all the factors referred to by Miss Wishnia apply. When considering the pleas of mitigation made on your behalf, it strikes me that you feel no remorse for what you have done and continue to place blame on the victim's, who it has been determined are the entirely innocent party in this whole affair. I do not accept that Miss Porter in any way provoked your actions, instead I believe that you were driven by your own hatred and homophobia. I consider you to be a danger both to these individuals that you know, as well as the LGBT community as a whole. I have consulted the federal sentencing guidelines in coming to my decision, and I take into account the fact that you have no prior convictions. However, I conclude that the only sentence I can impose is one of life imprisonment, of which you will serve at least 20 years. Take him down"

John Kennard banged the table before him in anger before he was restrained by the prison guards that sat beside him.

"You'll burn in hell" he yelled at Bette as he was lead away.

But Bette couldn't care less what he said to her. A wide grin had spread across her face, and when she turned to Tina, she saw the same expression on her lover. Tears of relief had fallen onto the blonde's cheeks, and she found herself being pulled into an ecstatic embrace.

"You did it T, you really did it"

"We did it babe. It's really all over!"

Joyce approached the public gallery to shake hands with the two women.

"Thank you so much Joyce, we couldn't have asked for a better outcome" Bette grinned at her.

"Well I couldn't have asked for better witnesses. You guys did a fantastic job and he got everything he deserved"

Tina clasped the older woman's hand "I can never thank you enough"

"Just doing my job ladies"

"Well you did it perfectly"

"Go on you two, get out of here, you have some celebrating to do" Joyce instructed with a chuckle.

"You up for some celebrating T?"

"I could use a drink"

"Ladies" Bette got the attention of the rest of their friends and family "would you care to join us at the Planet? Drinks are on me"

There was a round of positive responses and the women left the courtroom with a spring in their step.

As they left the district court building, they bumped into Faye Buckley on the front steps. Holding back her true feelings, Bette simply nodded at her adversary politely. She carried on past the woman, but stopped in her tracks as she heard her name being called. Her hands clenched into fists by her sides as she locked glares with the defense attorney.

"The court may have bought your crap Miss Porter, but be warned, God will judge you"

"Excuse me?"

"You deserve everything that happened to you. God took your girlfriend away to punish you for your sins, and he will punish you again, just you mark my words"

"You monster!" Bette seethed.

"The only monster here is you Miss Porter"

"Don't preach at me with your sanctimonious bullshit when you spend your life trying to keep the most evil people in society out on the street"

"The only danger to the public in that courtroom was you"

"That's enough!" Tina stepped in "You can take your prejudices elsewhere Miss Buckley, because I'm going to celebrate with my family. I hope you continue to wallow in your hatefulness alone"

The blonde turned on her heels, closely followed by her girlfriend. Their hands found one another as they swung their arms by their sides.

"You ok?" Tina asked.

"Yeah…..it actually felt really good to put her in her place. I've been wanting to do it ever since I was on the stand"

"Well your sharp tongue did you justice as always"

"And you, my dear, were fantastic"

"Come here"

Tina stopped and pulled the brunette into her. She leant up and cupped her lover's cheeks, pressing their lips together in a lingering kiss.

"Mmm what was that for?" Bette asked as she recovered from the intensity of their connection.

"Think of it as a prequel to me thanking you later for all your support"

"Does that mean what I think it means?"

"Considering what a dirty mind you have, it absolutely means what you think it means"

"Did I mention that I love you?"

"It can't hurt to hear it again"

Laughing the brunette wrapped her arms around her lover's waist, lifting her up in the air and spinning her around "I love you I love you I love you!"

"Bette!" the blonde slapped her playfully.

"I just wanted to make sure you heard me"

"You're crazy. But I love you anyway. So how's about we go get that drink?"

"And then can we have sex?" the brunette pouted.

Tina laughed "How can I say no to that face?"


	44. Chapter 44

Bette and Tina had to smile as they walked into the Planet and found all their friends gathered around their usual table. Alcohol wasn't usually served in the day time, but Kit was willing to make an exception for this particular day. As soon as she saw the couple walk in, the older Porter came over carrying a bottle of champagne which she presented to Tina.

"This is for you baby girl. It's on the house"

"Kit, you really don't have to…"

"Nonsense. You're family and I want to"

"Thanks" the blonde smiled and kissed Kit on the cheek.

"You want a hand getting some glasses?" Bette offered to her sister.

"Please"

The two Porters made their way to the bar and Kit got out a set of champagne flutes from the top shelf.

"So how are you feeling about it all baby sis?" she asked.

"I'm a bit overwhelmed by it all to be honest. It just means so much to see that weight lifted off T's shoulders. I ought to be mad that he was only convicted of the lesser charge against me, but when I see how relieved Tina is, I really don't care anymore. He's out of our lives and that's what matters"

Kit smiled "She's definitely had a good influence on you"

"What do you mean?"

"The old Bette would have flown off the handle by now, but you've mellowed since you've been with Tina"

"Believe me, the firey Bette's still here"

"Oh I don't doubt that. But you can control your temper now and save it for when it's really needed"

Bette thought about it "I suppose you're right. I'll be keeping hold of her then" she said with a grin.

"Like you would ever even consider letting her go"

"Not a chance"

The two sisters grinned at each other and carried the glasses back to their friends.

"Who'd have known you even sold champagne?!" Alice exclaimed.

"I've been saving a bottle for a special occasion"

"Well today definitely fits the bill" Shane commented.

"Do you want to do the honours T?" Bette asked, nodding at the champagne bottle.

"Ok" Tina smiled "just don't blame me if I take your eye out"

The blonde bit her lip subconsciously as she held the bottle and turned the cork, looking pleased with herself as she heard it pop. She filled the glasses on the table and made sure that everybody had one before holding her own in the air.

"I'd like to make a toast" she said "to my fantastic adoptive family who've stuck by me through some really tough times over the last few months. And to Bette, who will always be my hero"

The group couldn't help but smile at the affection between the two women.

"I'd also like to say a few words" Bette stated before anyone could take a drink "I'd like to say that the real hero in this is Tina, who's handled everything with dignity and bravery. You're an inspiration to all of us. So in celebration of the fact that we've finally seen justice done, can we all raise a glass to Tina"

"To Tina" everyone echoed, raising their glasses before taking a sip.

"Mmm this is good shit Kit" Alice nodded in approval.

Kit raised an eyebrow "Why do you sound so surprised?"

"Erm….no reason"

"You just watch what you say baby girl" the older woman teased.

With one arm wrapped around Bette's waist, Tina turned her attention to Shane and Carmen who were stood next to them.

"Shane…I haven't had a chance to thank you for everything you've done for me through all this"

"You never have to thank me for being there for you TK, it comes with the friend territory"

"Family" the blonde corrected.

"Family" Shane repeated, clinking her glass with Tina's.

Keeping her body firmly in contact with the blonde's, Bette was talking with Dana and Helena.

"I bet your looking forward to everything just getting back to normal" Dana commented.

"Yeah, it's gonna be nice not to have this hanging over us anymore. It's weird though, with the exception of the few days before T was taken, for the entire duration of our relationship we've been working towards this day"

"Well now you're finally free to just focus on the two of you" Helena pointed out.

"We kind of did things the wrong way round didn't we? Skipped over the honeymoon stage and headed straight for the drama"

"No-one gets to decide when bad things happen. But it's a testament to the strength of your relationship that you got through it in the way that you did" Helena said admiringly.

"It never ceases to amaze me how well she's coped with it all"

"Tina's a strong woman" Dana commented.

"She is, she's even been a rock for me when I've got overwhelmed by it all"

"You keep each other together, we can all see that"

Bette smiled softly "Thanks Dane"

"Babe?" Tina turned to her girlfriend "Are we leaving the car here?"

"If that's ok with you. I reckon we could both use a few drinks"

"That's fine with me. We can come in my car tomorrow and pick it up"

The bottle of champagne was soon finished, and true to her word, Bette indicated that she would get the drinks in for everyone. Shane offered to help her so that they could leave their girlfriends to talk.

"You know, it's good to see you really smile" she told her friend.

"Are you saying I haven't smiled for the last eight months?"

Shane laughed "No, of course you have, but it's different. Now you're smiling without any sadness in your eyes"

"Well I have no reason to be sad anymore. And you notice far too much!"

"Hey, with friends like Al, sometimes you have no choice but to sit back and observe"

"Very true"

"What's the betting this celebration gets messy with Al involved?"

"So long as she let's Tina have her day, I don't care what Alice gets up to"

"And judging by the glint in your eye, you're planning your own private celebration tonight?"

"I have no idea what you mean" Bette replied with a coy smile.

"Well you both deserve to be happy"

"Thank you"

They returned to the group and the drinks were most welcome. As the alcohol flowed, the group became somewhat more raucous, with Alice predictably the loudest of them all. Bette just looked at her friends and smiled, glad that they finally had something to celebrate.

"Hey, is everyone up for making this an all nighter?" Alice asked loudly.

"Al, you're the biggest lightweight I know" Bette pointed out "You'll be in bed by seven"

"You underestimate me Porter"

"No, I know you too well"

"I tell you what Al, we'll stay out as long as you can stay standing" Shane offered, earning a laugh from the rest of the group.

"Better make this our last drink then?" Carmen teased.

"Guys, I just wanna celebrate" Alice protested.

"Oh we'll celebrate" Bette confirmed "Whether you're here to celebrate with us is another matter"

"And maybe Bette and Tina would like to do some celebrating…alone" Helena suggested.

"Please….I do not want to think about my two friends fucking"

"Why not? They're hot" Helena replied with a shrug.

"Guys, do we really have to discuss our sex life?" Bette protested.

"Yes"

"No"

"You ok T?" the brunette asked, noticing that her girlfriend had become quiet.

"Yeah I just….I feel a bit overwhelmed and the alcohol's making me hot. I think I'm gonna go get some air"

"You want me to come with you?"

The blonde smiled shyly "Yeah that'd be nice"

Hand in hand the two women walked outside and Tina leant back against the wall.

"What's going on in that pretty head of yours?" Bette asked.

"It just hit me how crazy this has all been, starting with that stupid wedding. I mean, how many people get taken to the altar twice without wanting to be there? People talk about wedding's being the happiest day of your life, but for me, they've been two of the worst days"

The brunette stroked her lover's face in concern "What's brought this on?"

"I don't know, I guess I got preoccupied with the trial and now that it's over, I'm finally processing everything that's happened"

"T….this might sound crazy….but what if we could change the memories that you have of weddings?"

"What do you mean?"

"What if you and I got married?"

Tina's eyes widened in surprise "Are you asking me…."

The brunette took hold of her lover's hands "Tina, will you marry me?"

"Oh my god…..I didn't see this coming…."

"Honestly? Neither did I" Bette admitted.

"Do you mean it?"

"Yes" the brunette answered immediately "I know it's kind of sudden, but that doesn't mean I'm not certain. We've proved that we can get through anything together, and I know that I never want to be without you"

A tear trickled down the blonde's cheek "I love you so much. You complete me, you know that?"

"No T, you're whole all by yourself. But I fit with you. I know you've made me a better person, and I hope that I've had a similar effect on you"

"You have babe, my god you have. You've helped me to finally be myself, and there's nothing better that anyone could ever do for me"

"So do I get an answer?"

Smiling, the blonde lifted her hands to cup Bette's cheeks "Yes"

"Yes?"

"Yes, I would love to marry you"

Tina pulled her lover in to her, softly pressing their mouths together. Their lips parted and their tongues slowly caressed one another as the world around them seemed to disappear. Bette gently guided the blonde backwards so that she was pressed against the wall, their bodies molding together as the kiss grew deeper. Tina's hands tangled into the curls that she loved so much as she put everything she had into the kiss. They only separated when the blonde couldn't prevent a huge grin from spreading across her face.

"God I've missed that smile" Bette said softly.

"You're gonna be seeing it a lot more often"

"And what do I have to do to get it?"

"Just be you" the blonde told her, stroking her cheek "and being able to kiss like that helps"

"I'll have to keep practising to make sure I don't lose my touch"

"I'm sure I can be of some assistance with that" Tina grinned "So, do we tell the others about this?"

"I think they'd be pretty mad if we didn't. You reckon they'll be surprised?"

"Not as surprised as I was"

"Come on then" Bette took her hand "I'll let you be the one to tell them"

They couldn't hide the grins on their faces as they returned to their friends.

"Please tell me you two haven't been fucking outside" Alice groaned when she saw them heading back to the table.

"Al!" Bette scolded.

"What on earth makes you think that?" Shane asked her.

"Look at the grins on their faces. I'm betting they just had sex"

"Actually we have something to tell you all" Tina couldn't help but glance at Bette and her grin widened.

"We're all ears" Helena told her.

"While we were outside….Bette asked me to marry her"

Their friends' faces were a picture. A mixture of shock and delight amongst them caused the happy couple to squeeze one another's hands and laugh.

"I'm guessing by the smiles on your faces that you didn't turn her down?" Kit stated, the first of the group to find her voice after the shock.

"As if I could ever say no"

"Come here you two" Kit pulled them both into an embrace "Now you can become family on paper as well"

"Kit, how's about another bottle of champagne?" Alice asked, causing everyone to laugh.

"I guess this is an even more special occasion…..oh, why the hell not!" Kit exclaimed.

Suddenly, it was a double celebration and for the first time in eight months, the group were truly happy.


	45. Chapter 45

Bette closed the front door and turned to find the blonde grinning at her.

"What you smiling about?"

"Oh I dunno….maybe the fact that this exceptionally hot woman just asked me to marry her?"

"Oh really….should I be jealous?" the brunette teased.

"If you come to bed with me, I'm sure I can forget all about her"

Bette raised an eyebrow "So all it takes is someone to go to bed with you and you forget about your fiancee?"

The blonde stepped into her and flicked her tongue out over her earlobe "Oh I think about her all the time"

"You do huh?" the brunette breathed, sliding her arms around her lover's waist.

Tina nodded, sucking the brunette's earlobe into her mouth.

"And what do you think about?"

"Lots of things" the blonde replied, untucking Bette's shirt from her pants.

"Are you gonna tell me what these things are?"

Tina shook her head, her mouth working its way down her lover's neck "I'd rather show you"

The brunette took hold of the blonde's cheeks and pressed their lips together, her tongue flicking out eagerly. Tina groaned and opened her mouth, welcoming the feeling of the brunette's warm tongue brushing against hers.

"Show me" Bette breathed against her lover's lips.

The blonde grinned and resumed the kiss, her hands moving to unbutton the brunette's shirt. Their tongues caressed one another, moving together in perfect synchronisation as the blonde unfastened the final button. She slid the shirt back off her lover's shoulders and onto the floor, breaking the kiss to look down and admire the newly exposed skin. She flattened her palms and ran them down the brunette's body, feeling her nipples strain against the fabric of her bra as her hands passed over them.

"You're so beautiful" she murmured, loving the way that her lover's muscles twitched beneath her touch.

"No-one's ever looked at me the way you do" the brunette confessed shyly.

"Well they're all crazy"

"But you look at me like…like how people look at pieces of art"

"That's because you're a perfectly formed masterpiece"

Bette slid a hand round the back of the blonde's neck, guiding her mouth back to hers for a tender kiss. She could feel the blonde beginning to massage her breasts and let out a low moan, letting her free hand start to wander across the exposed strip of skin above her lover's waistband. As she gradually began to deepen the kiss, she let her other hand drag down the blonde's body until she had a grip on the bottom of her t-shirt. She peeled it up and off her lover, breaking the kiss and throwing it behind them and onto the floor.

Their lips joined once again as their hands slid around to one another's backs. It was as though everything else around them disappeared as they focused entirely on the feel of their lover's touch. It was Bette who reached the blonde's bra clasp first, flicking it openly deftly and dragging the straps down her lover's arms. Tina was more than willing to co-operate, and dropped her arms for a moment to let her bra fall to the floor so that she could kick it away. She then moved her hands to imitate the brunette's movements, unhooking her bra and pulling it off.

As soon as they were both naked from the waist up, they broke the kiss and stepped into one another's embrace, wrapping their arms tightly round one another. Both women closed their eyes and sighed contentedly at the feeling of closeness that was like no other.

"T….I'm sorry I don't have a ring" the brunette said softly.

The blonde lifted her head, moving her hand to make her lover do the same "It actually meant more to me that you didn't. The fact that you didn't plan it meant that it came from your heart, and you just meant it right in that moment"

Bette blushed "I promise, I'll get you any ring you want"

"I'd like to get you a ring too"

"You would?"

"Yeah" the blonde laughed "I mean, you're an engaged woman too, so you should have a ring"

"I'd like that….I'd be able to show everyone that I'm really yours"

"You don't need a ring to do that babe, but maybe it'd help to keep away your hoards of admirers"

"I don't have hoards of admirers T…"

"You so do…but I don't mind, it just makes me feel all the more special"

"How is it you always know the right thing to say?"

The blonde shrugged "It comes naturally with you. So as we both have tomorrow off work, how's about we go ring shopping?"

"Well, I don't think I have anything better to do…"

Tina slapped her arm playfully "Cheeky. Now I seem to recall I was showing you what I think about doing to you…"

"Mmm you go right ahead" the brunette moaned, pressing her lips to the blonde's.

As their mouths got reaquainted, the blonde scratched her nails up and down her lover's sides, sending shivers through the brunette. She turned them around so that Bette had her back to the room and began to walk them backwards in the direction of the sofa. Both women kicked off their shoes as their mouths separated once again.

"I thought you wanted me to take you to bed?" the brunette teased.

"The sofa's closer" the blonde replied.

She kissed Bette deeply, immediately dominating her mouth with her tongue before pulling away and guiding the brunette back until she willingly lay down on the sofa. She looked up at the blonde with lust filled eyes, awaiting her next move.

With her eyes locked on Bette's, Tina leant over her and slid her hands up her legs. She sought out her zip and slid it down, seeing the brunette swallow in anticipation. Their eyes remained focused on one another's as the blonde slid her pants down, leaving her lover clad only in a lace thong.

"You are so damn sexy" the blonde murmured in appreciation.

"T….touch me….please…."

"Begging already babe?"

"Yes"

Tina chuckled, kneeling down by the front of the sofa. She leant across and kissed her lover's stomach as she hooked her fingers under the sides of the brunette's thong. Slowly she slid the lacy underwear down the brunette's long legs, the scent of her arousal immediately filling her nostrils.

"Mmm" the blonde moaned "you smell so good"

She was unable to resist kissing her way downwards, her tongue dipping into the wetness that she found as the brunette eagerly parted her thighs.

"Oh god T!" Bette groaned.

The blonde's tongue flicked out over the brunette's hardened clit, causing her to jerk in excitement.

"Baby….no more teasing….please"

Tina was determined to control herself and lifted her head, moving her body along so that she was knelt by the brunette's head. She leant down and kissed her lover, letting the brunette taste herself on the blonde's tongue.

As their tongues danced together, the blonde slid a hand back down the brunette's stomach, letting it find its way between her legs. Bette placed one foot on the floor and bent the other leg up against the back sofa, spreading her thighs as wide as she could to welcome the blonde's fingers.

Tina let her fingers stroke up and down the brunette's core, coating her digits in the wetness that she found there. She moaned into her lover's mouth, loving the way that she felt beneath her fingers.

"Teee…" the brunette groaned, clutching the back of the blonde's neck.

The blonde was relentless, pressing her lips back to her lover's as her fingers sought out her clit. She began to circle the swollen nub as her tongue dipped in and out of the brunette's mouth. Her finger pressed down on the most sensitive spot as she rubbed in a circular motion that caused the brunette to rock her hips in a matching rhythm.

"Fuck!" Bette gasped, her head tilting back and pushing into the sofa.

Knowing that her lover could no longer manage to kiss her, the blonde dragged her tongue down the curve of her neck, feeling the brunette squirming beneath her touch. Her mouth sought out a hardened nipple and she flicked her tongue over it. Keeping her eyes on Bette's face, she began to circle her tongue around her nipple in complete synchronisation with the way she was circling her clit.

"Oh my god….that feels so good baby!"

The brunette's eyes were shut tightly as she struggled to process the double stimulation that her lover was giving her. It was as if every circle on her nipple sent an extra shockwave between her legs and her whole body was rippling to seek further contact.

She forced herself to open her eyes and was immediately met by the lustful gaze of the blonde as she latched onto her nipple with her mouth. The pace of her ministrations on her clit increased as she sucked on her nipple, causing Bette to grip tightly onto the sofa.

"T….fuck….don't stop….don't stop…."

Tina had no intention of stopping, and she was careful not to change her rhythm once she knew that the brunette was close. With her nipple sucked firmly into her mouth, she flicked out her tongue, adding extra stimulation as she felt the whole of the brunette's body tense.

"Tiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnaaaaaaaaaa" Bette growled, her mouth stretching wide as she gave in to the pleasure.

The blonde was grinning as she finally removed her mouth and fingers when the brunette's back relaxed against the sofa.

"Come here" the brunette reached for her blindly.

Tina complied and climbed onto the sofa, straddling her lover. She leant down and was met by a hungry kiss. Apparently, tonight would be one of those nights where the brunette got her energy back quickly.

"Take these off" Bette ordered, her fingers tugging at the blonde's pants "I need to feel you"

Hurriedly the blonde got up, removing her remaining items of clothing before climbing back on top of the brunette. As her lover straddled her once again, the brunette sat herself up and crashed their lips together again. Her hands were everywhere, roaming up and down the blonde's back before moving to her stomach.

"God T, you drive me crazy"

"Mmm someone's definitely in the mood tonight"

"I'm always in the mood for you"

Bette kissed her way down to the blonde's neck, nipping the skin as she went. Tina tilted her head back to give her lover more access, giving herself to the brunette completely.

The brunette wasn't in the mood for teasing, and with one hand against the blonde's lower back to support her, she worked two fingers between her legs.

"Touch me babe….I'm so wet for you…"

Bette groaned as she pushed the two fingers up into the blonde, feeling them slide in easily. She tensed her thumb so that it hit her clit with each thrust of her fingers.

"Uhh…right there…Bette!"

There was a hunger between them that was almost animalistic as the blonde rode hard against her lover's fingers. They couldn't begin to explain the connection between them, but in that moment, there was no doubt as to its power. As her lover rocked against her, the brunette lowered her head to take a nipple into her mouth, sucking on it hard until the blonde's movements grew too vigorous and she had no choice but to release it.

"That's it baby….ride me….ride my fingers T"

She loved the way the blonde's body responded to her. Her hips were rolling so that the brunette's fingers moved inside her, feeling as though she was touching every part of her. The blonde dug her nails into her lover's shoulders, causing the brunette to gasp in a mixture of pleasure and pain.

Tina's eyes shot open as she realised what she'd done "Sorry, I…"

"Don't stop" the brunette ordered, using her hand that was pressed against the blonde's back to guide her hips back into their rhythm.

The blonde slid her hands up to cup her lover's cheeks as she kissed her firmly. Their lips were parted in hunger for one another as they kissed each other as deeply as they could. Tina was breathing heavily through her nose, determined not to break the kiss as she felt herself getting closer and closer to her release.

She was grinding herself against the brunette almost desperately, her fingers buried deep inside her as her thumb pressed firmly on her clit. Her kisses were becoming short and frantic, but still she wouldn't give up. She was moaning into Bette's mouth, trying to hold her orgasm off for as long as possible so that she could experience more of her lover's touch, but it was proving to be a difficult task.

As the brunette's fingers curled against her gspot, the blonde felt her resolve disappear. With her forehead rested against Bette's, she cried out in pleasure, clutching onto her lover for stability as her body rocked quickly back and forth.

She finally came down from her high, wrapping her arms tightly around the brunette.

"I've got you baby" Bette soothed.

"You're so fucking good"

The brunette chuckled, her fingers still buried inside the blonde. She wiggled them slightly, causing her lover to jerk her hips and growl.

"If that's how good our engagement sex was, just think about how good the wedding night'll be" the brunette smirked.

"Mmm now that's a nice thought….but please keep your fingers still"

"You want me to take them out?"

"No" the blonde answered quickly "I like the way they feel inside me"

"T…." Bette breathed, leaning into her lover's chest. There was something about that simple statement that caused her whole body to tingle.

"Do you like being inside me?" the blonde asked huskily.

"Yes….you're so wet….you feel so good…."

Tina dropped her shoulder, her own hand seeking out the brunette's centre. She slid two fingers in, causing her lover to whimper. Their bodies began to rock together despite the awkwardness of the position, neither woman caring so long as they could feel each other.

"How is it….I'm always….so ready….for you?" the blonde panted.

"Mmm I don't know….but I'm glad you are"

Thumbs pressed against sensitive clits, with neither woman having fully recovered from their earlier high. Until Bette, Tina hadn't even realised that she was capable of coming more than once in a night, but at that moment, there was no doubt that she would be coming again, and soon.

Their fingers were almost still as they instead used their hips to create a rhythm. They needed each other for pleasure, and it created heightened sensations for both of them as they focused on one another's faces.

As their hips rocked, the blonde bit her lip, forcing herself to keep her eyes open. The brunette's stare was intense and she finally understood the meaning of getting lost in someone's eyes. Both women could feel the other's wetness spilling onto their hand, and it was as though they were competing to see who could bring the other to orgasm first. Their fingers curled and their thumbs pressed against one another.

It was the blonde who found her release first, her body still sensitive from her previous orgasm. As she felt herself starting to shake, she heard her lover cry out. The feeling of the blonde tightening around her fingers had caused the brunette to crash over the edge and they pressed against each other as they rode out the waves of pleasure.

As they finally stilled, both women pulled out their fingers, knowing that they were too sensitive for any further contact.

"You look so beautiful right now" Tina breathed honestly.

Bette blushed and kissed her lover softly "I can't wait to see you in a wedding dress"

"You've seen me in one before" the blonde pointed out.

"But this time you'll be wearing it for me"

"Maybe I was wearing it for you last time too…."

The brunette raised an eyebrow.

"There was a part of me….that always wanted you to think I looked good in it….more so than anyone else" it was the blonde's turn to blush.

"Well you looked incredible"

"I guess I'll have to find an even better one this time round"

"Just so long as you don't go hooking up with the maid of honour this time…" Bette warned playfully.

"Oh god, I have to pick a new maid of honour?!"

"Yeah…good luck with that one" the brunette grinned.

"I'm guessing running away and getting married in Vegas is out of the question?"

"Alice would have my metaphorical balls on a plate"

"Hey, you've got to pick someone too" the blonde pointed out.

"That's easy, I pick Shane. You won't get her in a bridesmaids dress anyway, so she can be my….best woman?"

"What about Kit?"

"Well she's the only real family I have, so I want her to give me away as such. Not walk me down the aisle, but you know what I mean…"

"And just when did you get the time to think all this through?" Tina asked incredulously.

"When you and Al were off dancing like crazy people"

"Damn. Maybe I should just find a new friend, save me all the trouble…."


	46. Chapter 46

Six months had passed and it was now just a week to go until the wedding. Despite their friends (or rather Alice) trying to persuade them to have two different bachelorette parties, Bette and Tina protested that as they had the same friends, they may as well share the night. After all, it wasn't exactly like they were traditional.

However, they had finally relented and agreed that at least the first part of the night would be separate. Alice insisted that it was important that they both have at least part of their "last night of freedom". Against her better judgment, Tina had decided that she really had no choice but to ask her eccentric friend to be her maid of honour. She could only hope that she wouldn't come to regret that decision.

"T?" Bette called from the kitchen, finishing the last of her glass of wine.

"Yeah?" came the response from the bedroom.

"I'm gonna head to Shane's now ok?"

"Ok hold on…."

The blonde appeared at the bedroom door, attempting to fix her hair.

"Do I get a goodbye kiss?" Bette asked sweetly.

"Hmm are you gonna behave tonight?"

"I always behave!"

"Sure you do" Tina grinned.

"Come here"

The blonde laughed and let herself be taken into her lover's arms. They kissed softly before pulling apart and grinning at each other.

"Be good, don't let Al make you do anything you don't want to, and I'll see you later" the brunette instructed.

Tina laughed "The same goes for you with Shane. Love you babe"

"Love you too" Bette called as she headed out of the house.

The brunette walked the short distance to Shane's house and wasn't surprised to find that the rest of the party were already there. As her "best woman", Shane was in charge of Bette's bachelorette party, and they would be joined by Carmen, Jenny and Kit for their part of the night.

She knocked on the door and forced herself to smile when it was Jenny who answered the door.

"Hi Jenny"

"Hi Bette. Wow you look….like you wanna get some tonight" Jenny replied, looking Bette up and down.

"You do remember this is my bachelorette party, right?"

"Of course. That doesn't mean you can't have a fun though"

Before Bette could respond, Shane appeared at the door behind her housemate "Don't mind Jenny, she's a little cranky today"

Jenny flounced off and Bette smiled at her friend gratefully.

"How long do we have to put up with her for?" she whispered.

"I'm hoping she'll get bored by the time we go out and go bother somebody else"

Bette had to laugh as she followed Shane through to the living room. She was greeted by Carmen and Kit, and embraced them both in turn.

"So do I get to know the plan yet?" she asked Shane.

"Sure, it can't hurt. We figured we'd have a couple of drinks here and then head to the Planet"

"And Tina's party?"

"They're staying a Al's for the first part of the evening and then meeting us at a club later"

"You know I don't like Al being in charge without you there to supervise her" Bette pointed out.

"Hopefully Tasha'll keep her under control"

"Don't you think it's a little weird that they worked out?" Carmen spoke up.

"They're complete opposites, but I don't think Al could cope with someone like her" Bette replied.

"You want a beer?" Shane offered.

"Please"

Shane grabbed three beers from the fridge plus an ice tea for Kit. Jenny still hadn't re-emerged from her room, but the four of them weren't concerned.

After the first round of beers, Jenny joined them and Carmen produced a bottle of tequila.

"Already?" Bette asked, grimacing.

"Come on, live a little" Carmen grinned.

"And I thought Al was the one who needed controlling?"

Across town, Tina had caught a cab to Alice's and been greeted by her friend, who was already wearing a feather boa and devil horns.

"Yay, you're finally here!" Alice jumped up and down in excitement.

"What's with the outfit?" Tina asked as she followed her friend into her apartment.

"Not my suggestion" Dana informed her as she greeted her with a hug.

"Or mine" Tasha echoed, looking uncomfortable in her own feather boa.

"And I think you know there's no way I would ever buy such tack" Helena pulled a face as she gave Tina a kiss on the cheek.

"Guys, come on!" Alice scolded them "We're supposed to be having fun!"

"These are for you" Dana smiled sympathetically, handed Tina her own items that matched Alice's, plus a sash that read 'Bride to Be'.

"Ah, what the hell" Tina relented "I'll just get extra drunk and forget about them"

"Talking of getting drunk" Alice grinned "I made punch!"

"How is it?" Tina asked the rest of the group.

"Surprisingly not bad" Helena told her.

Alice ignored them and filled Tina a large glass of a toxic looking mixture, handing it to her proudly. Tina wrinkled her nose as she took her first sip, but was pleasantly surprised to find that the punch was actually drinkable. She would normally be sensible and question just how much alcohol her friend had put into the concoction, but figured this was the one night that she could go crazy.

"Ok TK, it's time for your gifts" Alice seemed unable to sit still.

"Gifts? Are these…" Tina indicated her accessories "not enough?"

"No, we got you proper gifts too"

"Can I just put a disclaimer in in advance and state that this was all Alice's doing?" Tasha asked.

"If you want me to take all the credit, that's fine" Alice grinned "You're gonna love them TK"

She pulled out a bag from behind the sofa and handed Tina her first gift. The blonde opened it and laughed when she found a blue garter.

"And you best wear it on the big day" Alice warned.

"I will, don't worry"

"Ok here's the next one"

Tina opened her next gift, and revealed a pack of 'Jelly Boobs'. She raised an eyebrow at Alice.

"What? Just think of it as the one and only chance you'll get to suck my tits" Alice grinned.

"I'll pass thanks" Tina chuckled.

"And saving the best for last…." Alice pulled the largest of the gifts out of the bag.

Tina looked somewhat nervous as she unwrapped the package, and her eyes widened when she saw what was inside.

"You bought me a vibrator?!"

The other three women pointed at Alice, who was smiling gleefully.

"And what will I need a vibrator for when I'm getting married?"

"Well you're gonna be stuck sleeping with Porter for the rest of your life, you might need to start sorting yourself out!" Alice informed her.

"I'll have you know Bette is more than capable of keeping me satisfied"

"So I've heard" Helena said with a wink.

"Oh yeah" Dana agreed.

Tina just rolled her eyes.

"Am I missing something?" Tasha asked.

"Our Ms Porter was somewhat of a player in her younger days" Alice told her "and she was somewhat legendary for her skills in the bedroom"

Tasha looked at Tina to see if she was bothered by what Alice was saying, but it was apparent that she'd heard it all before.

"Well the rumours are all true ladies" Tina stuck out her tongue at them "only now, she's all mine"

"You know you want to tell us some dirty stories…" Alice suggested.

"No way. The last thing Bette would want is you knowing details about our sex life"

"Aww come on TK, it's not like you'd be saying anything bad about her"

"You know she's a pretty private person when it comes to that. The last thing I want is a bout of enforced celibacy as punishment, so I'm saying nothing"

"Fine, but you know I'll get details when you're drunk"

Tina shook her head and laughed "Anyway, what do you expect me to do with this…" she pointed to the vibrator "when we go out?"

"Just put it in your bag" Alice replied with a shrug.

"And if my bag gets searched?"

"Look at what you're wearing" Helena pointed out "it's not like they'll be surprised"

Tina turned to Alice "Remind me why I let you be in charge again?"

It was gone eleven by the time Bette's party arrived at Hit, having spent several laughter filled hours at the Planet. Even Jenny was tolerable after a few drinks.

"Is it always this busy on a Saturday night?" Carmen asked, swaying slightly.

"Nah, you're just seeing two of everyone" Shane teased.

They entered the club and made their way to the bar, getting in a round of beers and tequila shots for good measure.

"Hey, there's the girls" Kit pointed to the side of the dancefloor.

Bette turned and saw Helena, Dana and Tasha stood with drinks in hand. She approached them all with a wide smile.

"Hey ladies"

"Hi Bette"

"You having a good night?" she asked.

"I think so….Al made her punch…" Dana told her.

"Say no more. Where's Tina?"

Guilty looks spread across all three women's faces and all of a sudden they didn't seem so keen on looking at Bette.

"Dana…" the brunette went for the weak link.

"It's not our fault, I swear" Dana broke immediately.

"What isn't?"

Dana pointed across the dancefloor and Bette turned slowly, her eyes widening as she located her fiancee.

Tina was up on a podium, dancing alone, complete with all the accessories that Alice had given her. Alice was stood at the foot of the podium, cheering her own as she tried to pull off her best moves.

Bette worked her way across the dancefloor, ignoring the admiring glances that were being shot in her direction. As she reached the podium, she tapped Alice on the shoulder and her friend spun round, eyes widening as she set eyes on the brunette.

"Ohhhh…..don't be mad Porter"

The brunette looked up at her fiancee, who had her hands in the air and was grinning as she wiggled her hips.

"Why would I be mad Al?"

"TK…"

"She's happy. And if my girl's happy, I'm happy"

"Don't make me puke"

"Aww" Bette pulled Alice into a constricting hug.

"Get off me Porter"

"Nice to see you too Al"

Bette grinned before getting up onto the step at the side of the podium.

"Don't tell me the great Bette Porter's gonna get up there?" Alice asked incredulously.

"I'm just having fun with my girl"

And with that Bette stepped up onto the podium behind the blonde, sliding her arms round her waist. Tina turned her head and a wide grin spread across her face when she realised who was behind her.

"Hey!" she exclaimed.

"Hey sexy" Bette purred.

"When did you get here?"

"Just now. You look like you're having fun"

"I'm having soooo much fun. And it's even better now you're here"

The blonde spun round and leant up to kiss her lover.

"So I'm guessing Alice is responsible for your outfit?"

"Got it in one" Tina grinned, hooking her feather boa around the brunette's neck and pulling on both ends "but it comes in handy"

"Oh so you're restraining me now are you?"

"Maybe later"

Their bodies molded together as they began to move in time to the music, their lips pressing together in a casual kiss. They caught the attention of most of the club's patrons, but it didn't stop them from enjoying the way that it felt to be pressed up against one another.

"You know people are staring at us T?"

The blonde shrugged "People always stare at you, I'm used to it"

"No baby, people stare at us" the brunette kissed Tina softly "We're a hot couple"

"Then let them stare, 'cause you're all mine"

"And thoroughly proud of it" Bette grinned.

"Come here you"

Using the ends of the feather boa, the blonde pulled her lover's head down and crashed their lips together. It was almost as though they were attacking one another's mouths, desperate for as much of each other as they could get. Their tongues were duelling, each of them trying to take control of the kiss and neither of them wanting to give in.

"T?"

"Mmm hmm" the blonde mumbled, pulling her lover back in for another kiss.

"Why is your purse vibrating?"


	47. Chapter 47

It was almost 10pm and Bette and Tina had been joined at their house by their best woman and maid of honour respectively. They had considered one of them going to stay at a hotel for the night, but despite what Tina had told Henry before their wedding, she liked the idea of being near to her fiancee before their big day. Shane and Alice were staying the night so that they were there in the morning to help their friends get ready.

"You know Al, you and Shane could just share the guestroom" Bette pointed out.

"Nuh uh Porter, you're not changing the plan now"

"Well you're plan is stupid" the brunette retorted.

"Come on clingy, you can spend a night apart from TK"

"I never said I couldn't, maybe I just don't want to"

"Well tough luck, because I'm sharing a bed with your woman tonight" Alice smirked.

Bette glared at her and Tina couldn't help but laugh at how frustrated she was getting.

"Aww babe" she rubbed the brunette's back "I promise, I'll make her keep her hands to herself"

"And no cuddling"

"No cuddling" the blonde confirmed.

"And what if we want pre-wedding sex?" Bette asked their friends.

"Sorry Porter, but you don't get to have sex until tomorrow night" Alice grinned.

The brunette groaned and folded her arms.

"And you be keeping to your side of the bed tonight" Shane warned Bette "I don't want you touching me up in my sleep"

"Sorry Shaney, I think she might notice the lack of tits if her hands go anywhere near you" Alice teased.

"There's only one pair of tits I wanna be touching" Bette grinned, reaching out to squeeze Tina's breast.

"Oi!" Alice yelled.

"What?"

"That's it, I'm separating you two" she got up a wormed herself in between the two lovers on the sofa.

"So we can't even touch now?" Bette asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Nope. You're on an enforced contact ban until the wedding"

The brunette groaned again and slumped on the sofa, her arm resting up against the back. She tried to block out Alice's incessant chatter and was pleasantly distracted by the feeling of Tina's fingers intertwining with her own.

Shane noticed the interraction between the two lovers and just smirked to herself. While she'd gone along with Alice's plan, she had no intention of trying to prevent contact between her two friends prior to their wedding.

"Right TK, it's time for bed" Alice said, getting up.

"What are you, my Mom?"

"No duh, your Mom's getting here in the morning. But you want to look your best tomorrow don't you?"

"Fine" Tina stood up, turning to look at Bette.

She leant over to give the brunette a kiss but found herself being pulled back by Alice.

"I can't even kiss her goodnight?" she asked incredulously.

"Nope. Save your kisses for tomorrow"

Alice began to drag the blonde in the direction of the guestroom and Tina managed to turn back to look at her lover.

"I'll meet you here" she mouthed.

Bette winked and nodded. A few minutes later, she and Shane made their way through to her bedroom.

"This is weird for you, huh?" Shane asked as they got ready for bed.

"Beyond weird. I mean, even before we were together T never slept in the guestroom"

"Well just so you know….I'm a heavy sleeper"

"Shane, I'm not having sex while you're in the room"

"Eww no, I just meant that I promise not to notice if you get up in the night"

"Ahhh I see. Thanks Shane"

"And I meant what I said, you just keep to your side of the bed"

Bette laughed and got into bed "Night Shane"

"Night"

Half an hour later Alice had finally stopped talking and Tina figured that she could slip out of bed unnoticed. She slowly pulled off the cover and began to inch her way sideways.

"TK?"

"Damn" Tina cursed under her breath "Yeah?"

"Will you stop fidgeting, I'm trying to sleep"

The blonde lay back down, staring up at the ceiling. Trust Alice to still be fully aware of her surroundings even when she was half asleep. It wasn't that she couldn't go a night without Bette, but as soon as Alice had tried to prevent them from physical contact, it was as though she began literally aching for her lover. She was sure that as soon as she had a kiss from the brunette, she'd be able to get to sleep.

In a way, she was grateful to Alice. At least her contact ban had distracted her from any possible nerves that were threatening to kick in about the next day. It wasn't that she had any doubts about marrying Bette, but that weddings didn't exactly hold the best memories for her. She couldn't quite believe that she was going to be walking down the aisle to meet the love of her life at the other end, rather than settling for an occasion for other people's benefit.

She shook her head as if trying to rid her mind of such thoughts. Right now she was really craving Bette's touch as she knew that it would calm her instantly. She looked over to Alice and saw that she wasn't moving. Her breathing had slowed and this time, the blonde was confident that her friend was actually asleep.

Once again she crept slowly out of the bed, taking a look back to check that Alice hadn't stirred. When she saw no movement, she tiptoed out of the room, glad that the hinges on the door didn't creak. She snuck along the corridor to the bedroom that she usually shared with Bette and slowly opened the door.

As she peered her head into the room, she was immediately met by her lover's burning gaze. It seemed that the brunette was also unable to sleep. With a smile, Bette got out of the bed and walked over to the door. She didn't even bother to check on Shane as she knew that her friend wouldn't say anything even if she was still awake.

Shutting the door behind them, the two women walked silently to the living room, before Bette turned and pulled the blonde into an embrace.

"Hey" she said softly.

"Hey" came the whispered reply.

"You ok?"

"I missed you"

"I missed you too baby. I hate sleeping apart from you"

The blonde reached up and brushed the curls out of her lover's face. It was true, she really had missed Bette. Just the knowledge that if she opened her eyes, she'd be met with the sight of that beautiful face was usually enough to get her to drift off to sleep. However, Alice's face didn't hold the same appeal.

Her hands cupped the brunette's cheeks as she brought their lips together for a gentle kiss. She felt Bette's arms wrapping tight around her body as she flicked her tongue out to ask for entrance to her lover's mouth. She could feel the brunette moan against her lips before she parted them, welcoming in her tongue.

Although neither woman had intended it to, the kiss was rapidly growing heated. Their bodies pressed together as their tongues caressed one another, savouring the warm feeling that it sent through them.

Bette couldn't resist but run her hands around to the front of the blonde, sliding them under her top to seek out her breasts. Tina moaned as she felt the brunette's wandering hands cupped her breasts firmly, massaging them as their tongues continued to brush together.

She let her own hands run down the brunette's back, slipping them into the back of her pyjama pants and squeezing her ass. Their hips pressed against each other, leaving them in no doubt that they were both becoming increasingly aroused.

Bette broke the kiss and rested her cheek against the blonde's, trying to keep her breathing under control "I can't believe I'm marrying you tomorrow"

"I know" Tina smiled "Are you nervous?"

"Honestly? Yeah, I am a little. But then I see that smile of yours and all the nerves go away 'cause I know you're gonna have an even bigger smile when you walk down the aisle to me"

"Aww you're too cute"

"Don't you be telling anyone else that…"

Tina laughed lightly "Don't worry babe, I'll make sure that I'm the only who knows"

"Good, 'cause I only wanna be cute with you"

"Well you're very very cute" the blonde smiled, kissing her tenderly once again "and I can't wait to see you waiting at the end of the aisle for me"

"How about you, are you nervous?"

"Yeah I am, but I figure that's only natural. This is the most important day of my life and knowing my luck I'll end up falling flat on my face"

"Well if you do, I'll be there to catch you"

"Now that was cheesy"

"Who cares, we're getting married!"

Tina laughed "Seriously though, I am nervous but I'm excited too. And once we get there, and it hits me that it's really happening, then I don't think you'll be able to stop me from smiling"

"You've barely stopped smiling for the last couple of weeks anyway" the brunette pointed out.

"You say that like it's a bad thing"

"It's never a bad thing. I could never get tired of seeing you smile"

"Then I guess it's a good job you make me smile"

Bette grinned and tilted her head down to join their lips once again. The feeling of the blonde's hands on her ass were strangely comforting, and she let her thumbs brush lazily over her lover's nipples. Her tongue roamed in the blonde's mouth as she finally decided to take control of the kiss, guiding Tina backwards until she was pressed against the wall. She heard her lover whimper and flicked her nipples once again, knowing the effect that it had on the blonde.

Their moment was interrupted by the sound of a door banging open. Pulling their hands out of one another's clothing, they were stood in an innocent embrace by the time Alice entered the living room.

"Ah ha!" she exclaimed "I knew you two wouldn't be able to keep away from each other!"

The two women just smiled, trying not to look guilty.

"Come on, you'll have plenty of time for all the touchy feely stuff tomorrow. We don't want a pair of brides with bags under their eyes!"

"Alright alright, I suppose we should both get some sleep" Tina agreed reluctantly.

"I'll see you tomorrow T"

Despite Alice's protestations, they shared a soft kiss before pulling apart.

"Night babe, I love you" the blonde said with a smile.

"I love you too. Sweet dreams baby"

As both women made their way back to their respective beds, they knew that their dreams would indeed be sweet. The next time they saw each other, it would be at the moment when Tina walked down the aisle. And the next time they shared a bed, it would be as a married couple.


	48. Chapter 48

Bette wrung her hands as she waited nervously at the end of the aisle. Friends and family of her and Tina had filled the room that they had hired in a local hotel. They had hired a wedding planner to take care of the decorating, and she had done a great job. Now all that was missing was the bride. When she thought about it rationally, the brunette had no doubts that her bride to be would be walking down the aisle, but she couldn't help the nerves from creeping in as the minutes until the scheduled start for the wedding passed by.

Stood beside her the brunette had Kit and Shane, and they were doing their best to keep her calm. The fact that Alice was involved in getting Tina to the venue was doing little for Bette's confidence.

She had chosen to wear a white tuxedo for the big occasion, and was eagerly anticipating her first glimpse of Tina in her wedding dress. If her reaction to seeing the blonde in the dress that she bought for her marriage to Henry was anything to go by, then the brunette was likely to be stunned.

"You ok baby sis?" Kit asked, her hand resting on her sister's back.

"Yeah…I just want to see her, you know?"

"She'll be here any minute. They're only coming from your house"

"I just wish we could have travelled together so I didn't have to wait around like this"

"Come on Porter, even if you're not traditional, you can't ride to the wedding with the bride" Shane pointed out.

"Fine, but I make no promises about not throttling Al if she makes them late"

"Behave baby girl" Kit warned with a smile.

Luckily, there would be no need for throttling or any other form of violence. The back door to the room and Alice stepped in, grinning and giving the women a thumbs up. The sounds of classical music filled the room as Alice started to walk down the aisle, unable to control the grin that was plastered across her face. The rest of the room stood and turned to wait for their first glimpse of the bride.

As Tina stepped into the room, her arm linked with that of her mother, Bette felt as though she'd stopped breathing. The blonde was like an angel, practically floating down the aisle. Her hair hung in loose ringlets, framing her face perfectly. Her hazel eyes immediately sought out those of the woman that she loved, and the second that they locked together neither woman could see anyone else.

The brunette's brow furrowed as her eyes filled with tears, but the smile on her lips showed the true joy that she felt at that moment. Finally, she took the time to take in the rest of the blonde's appearance, and just as she had expected, this dress was even better than the last one that she'd seen Tina in. It was white and strapless, with beaded embroidery on the corsetted top. The dress flowed out from her hips, hugging her figure perfectly as she moved gracefully towards her fiancee.

It felt as though the walk down the aisle took forever, but neither woman cared as it gave them both the opportunity to take in every inch of their lover. When Tina finally reached the brunette, she kissed her mother on the cheek and let Bette take hold of her hands. They gazed at each other intently as Dana, Helena and Carmen joined Alice at the front of the room. Even as the registrar stood and began to speak, the couple couldn't take their eyes off each other.

"Welcome everyone, as we join together to celebrate the commitment that Bette and Tina have decided to make to each other"

Finally the couple were able to turn and look at the middle aged woman in front of them, their fingers remaining intertwined as they tried to focus on the ceremony.

"Before we get to the vows, we have some tributes from some of those closest to Bette and Tina. First we have a reading from Helena Peabody"

Helena took a couple of steps so that she was at the front of the room. She took a piece of paper from her purse and smiled at everyone.

"This is piece by Wilfred Arlan Peterson" she stated, before beginning the reading.

"Happiness in marriage is not something that just happens.

A good marriage must be created.

In marriage the little things are the big things.

It is never being too old to hold hands.

It is remembering to say "I love you" at least once a day.

It is never going to sleep angry.

It is at no time taking the other for granted; the courtship should not end with the honeymoon, it should continue through all the years.

It is having a mutual sense of values and common objectives.

It is standing together facing the world.

It is forming a circle of love that gathers in the whole family.

It is doing things for each other, not in the attitude of duty or sacrifice, but in the spirit of joy.

It is speaking words of appreciation and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways.

It is not looking for perfection in each other.

It is cultivating flexibility, patience, understanding and a sense of humour.

It is having the capacity to forgive and forget.

It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow.

It is a common search for the good and the beautiful.

It is establishing a relationship in which the independence is equal, dependence is mutual and the obligation is reciprocal.

It is not only marrying the right partner, it is being the right partner."

The couple smiled gratefully at their friend as she took her place back with the other bridesmaids.

"And now we have a poem from the maid of honour"

Alice smirked as she moved to the spot that Helena had been in moments earlier. Bette was hit by a sudden bout of nerves as she realised she hadn't approved whatever Alice was planning on reading.

"Just a little poem I found to dedicate to my dear friends" she grinned at the couple who smiled back nervously. She cleared her throat dramatically before she began to read.

"Yes, I'll marry you, my dear, and here's the reason why;

So I can push you out of bed when the baby starts to cry,

And if we hear a knocking and it's creepy and it's late,

I hand you the torch you see, and you investigate.

Yes I'll marry you, my dear, you may not apprehend it,

But when the tumble-drier goes it's you that has to mend it,

You have to face the neighbour should our labrador attack him,

And if a drunkard fondles me it's you that has to whack him.

Yes, I'll marry you, You're virile and you're lean,

My house is like a pigsty you can help to keep it clean.

That sexy little dinner which you served by candlelight,

As I do chipolatas, you can cook it every night!

It's you who has to work the drill and put up curtain track,

And when I've got PMT it's you who gets the flak,

I do see great advantages, but none of them for you,

And so before you see the light, I do, I do, I do!"

The room was filled with laughter as Alice gleefully finished the poem. Bette attempted to glare at her, but couldn't help but let out a chuckle at the humour in her reading. Normally she would have been mad at her friend, but nothing could shake the overwhelming happiness that she felt to be stood next to Tina.

The registrar appeared a little surprised at Alice's choice of reading, but recovered herself to proceed with the ceremony.

"And now we've reached the time in which Bette and Tina will make their vows to one another. Do we have the rings?"

Shane nodded and pulled two silver wedding bands from her pocket, handing them to her two friends.

"Bette" the registrar indicated for the brunette to begin.

Taking a deep breath, Bette began to speak "Tina, T, I give you this ring today as a symbol for the never-ending, all encompassing love that I feel for you. I loved the girl that you were all those years ago when I was blessed to have you walk into my life, and I love the woman that you've become. To me your like…a limb…something that I wouldn't know how to function without. And I stand here today to make a promise to you, to respect you, to be faithful to you, to protect you from harm, to support you in whatever decisions you make in your life and to be by your side to make those decisions with you. And most of all, I promise to love you with everything that I am"

She slid the ring onto the blonde's shaking hand, seeing Tina bite her lip, trying to stop herself from crying. She swallowed deeply before she herself began to speak.

"Bette….I stand here today before our friends and our family for one reason…and that is, that I'm so proud to love you and have you love me in return…" the blonde paused, fighting back tears "You've taught me that it's always ok to be who I am, and to never hide myself away. You've showed me a love that I never thought possible, and I intend on showing you every day how much you mean to me. With this ring, I promise to honour you and the love that we have for each other, to stand beside you in everything that you do, to be there when you laugh and be there when you cry. I promise to never let a day go by when I don't show you how much I love you"

Tears were flowing freely down Tina's cheeks as she slid the ring onto Bette's finger. Their eyes met in the most open and honest gaze that either woman had ever experienced.

"It gives me great pleasure to announce that you have made this commitment to one another here today in the presence of family and friends, so without further ado, you may now kiss the bride"

With love in her eyes, the brunette cupped her new bride's cheeks and softly pressed their lips together. Both women had to resist the urge to get carried away with the kiss, remembering that they were in fact stood in front of a room full of those closest to them. They pulled apart and smiled at each other before the brunette took hold of Tina's hand. They walked down the aisle still smiling at each other to the sound of applause which seemed to be started by Alice.

Once they had left the room they were joined again by the registrar, who took them to sign the necessary affidavit to legalise their domestic partnership. They then proceeded through to the dining area to greet their guests.

They stood side by side as their guests filed past them, each congratulating the couple in turn.

Alice came past and still had the same grin on her face that she'd had when she gave her reading "Aww just look at you two"

"You're lucky it's my wedding day Al, or else I might just have to kill you" Bette told her.

"Come on Porter, it made everyone laugh"

"Weddings aren't exactly supposed to be funny" Tina scolded.

"Well you guys wouldn't let me speak at the reception, so I had to get my

jokes in somehow"

"Alright Al, move on, the rest of us want to speak to them" Dana nudged Alice in the back, causing her to move forwards.

"Thanks Dana" Bette smiled at her.

"No problem. And I swear, I knew nothing about the poem"

"I have no doubt that it was all Alice's doing"

"You both look beautiful"

They smiled as Dana gave each of them a kiss on the cheek.

When Shane came through and indicated that she was the last to come in, Bette turned to the blonde and gave her a chaste kiss.

"Let's get this party started baby"


	49. Chapter 49

The post-wedding meal had been served and everyone seemed to be happy with the seating arrangements. At the top table, Bette and Tina couldn't help but steal glances at each other while they ate.

"Hey you two?" Shane got their attention.

"Yeah?"

"You know this is the one day where you don't have to hide those sickening glances you give each other right?"

"In that case…" Bette smirked and turned to Tina, staring at her while she ran a hand up and down her thigh.

"Alright alright, can't you at least save the touchy feely stuff for your first dance?" Alice protested.

"As Shane just pointed out Al, today's the day when we don't have to hide all that stuff" Tina grinned at her friend.

"Just keep it PG at dinner will you? I'm enjoying this and don't really want to see it come back up again"

The rest of the meal continued in much the same manner, with Alice attempting to protest every time the newlyweds touched other, and Bette and Tina overdoing it to wind their friend up.

"Just remember your Mom's here" Jackie pointed out to Tina.

"Sorry Mom" Tina blushed "You know we're just teasing Alice"

"Save it for the bedroom" Jackie winked.

"Mom!"

"You think I don't know what you two are gonna get up to when you get back to that room?"

"I am so not having this conversation with you"

Luckily for Tina, the plates were soon being cleared and Shane got to her feet, clinking her glass with a fork.

"Ok listen up everyone!" she called out to the room.

Gradually the chatter in the room subsided and the guests turned their attention to the young woman stood up in front of them.

"So it's fallen to me to give the speech today seeing as some people can't be trusted…" she looked at Alice and grinned.

"Hey!…" Alice attempted to protest but was halted by Tina placing a hand over her mouth.

"Anyway" Shane continued, turning her attention back to the room "today's been a long time coming. I mean, there are some of us that figured if it took them 7 years after their first kiss to actually get together, they'd be in their 60s before they decided to get hitched"

A ripple of laughter travelled around the room, and Bette squeezed the blonde's hand and chuckled.

"But thankfully, Bette's impatience won through and so here we all are. I'm sure there's quite a few lesbians out there that are disappointed that they didn't get to have a go on Tina before Bette snapped her up, but hey…"

Tina covered her face in embarassment as her new wife couldn't help but laugh. Normally the brunette would have been jealous at such a comment, but knew that Shane meant no harm.

"So I guess it's my duty as best woman to tell you all an embarassing story about Bette…"

The brunette raised an eyebrow at her friend, slightly nervous about what story she would choose to tell.

"And I figured so long as Tina knows about it, nothing's off limits. So, back in our college days we used to have these seminars that none of us used to both attending, but for some reason Alice and I decided to go to one, I guess we must have been really bored"

Alice smirked, knowing the exact story that Shane was going to tell.

"Anyway, so we're waiting out in the hall for this seminar to start and the door to the room's locked. None of us are really bothered seeing as we figured the professor would turn up soon with the key. However, when the professor shows up at the time the seminar's supposed to start and tells us the room should be unlocked, we all get a little confused"

Bette was sinking lower and lower in her chair. By this point, she too knew what was coming.

"Now before anyone could go and try and find a key, we all heard these noises coming from inside the room. In case you can't guess what sort of noises they were, let's just say they were rather high pitched and involved a lot of religious exclamations!"

The room was filled with laughter, but Shane still wasn't done.

"So eventually the noises stop, and by this point there's like 15 students plus the professor waiting out in the hall. And imagine our surprise when the door unlocks, and out steps our dear friend Bette, wiping her mouth, followed by some young blonde who's adjusting her skirt!"

Bette hid her face behind her hands, not wanting to look at a room full of friends and colleagues as her less than clean past was revealed to them. She felt Tina squeezing her leg and kissing her on the cheek, and let into her wife, burying her head in her shoulder.

"Now I didn't think it would be fair if I didn't share a little story about TK with you all"

Tina's head spun round to look at her friend in surprise. Shane just shrugged and grinned.

"Well it was quite a well known fact during our college days that Miss Tina here wasn't always so good at holding her alcohol. And to make it worse, she has the weakest bladder in the world when she's been drinking"

The blonde had to nod in agreement.

"So this one night we'd all been into town and were walking back to campus. Everyone had had a fair amount to drink, but of those of us there, Tina was by far the worst. And we get about half way home when she announces that she needs to pee"

It was Bette's turn to laugh as her wife tried to hide her face behind the brunette's back.

"We all tried to persuade her to just wait until we got back, but she was insistant that she had to go right then. So we waited at the end of this alleyway while she went down to relieve herself. What she didn't realise, was that alley led to another street which was full of bars and restaurants. She was halfway through doing her business when she heard a round of applause, she turns round and realises that she's peeing next to a full length glass window. And this window happens to belong to an upmarket late night drinking venue that was full of local businessmen at the time"

There were roars of laughter from around the room as Tina blushed profusely.

"Oh, and to make it worse, in her shock, she managed to pee all over her brand new shoes!" Shane added.

The blonde shot her friend a glare, but the smile on her face showed that she wasn't really angry.

"So know you all know the lovely brides a little better, it's almost time for me to shut up and let you all get to the bar. But just to be serious for a moment, I couldn't be happier for two of my best friends. Anyone who knows them can see that they're just meant to be, and I've never seen either of them happier than when they're with each other. I love you guys. So if can ask you all to raise a glass" she picked up hers and held it in the air "to the brides"

"To the brides!"

Everyone toasted the happy couple, and as Shane had said, there was a general movement in the direction of the bar as the tables were moved to one side to allow for the creation of a dancefloor.

The brides did a circuit of the room, making sure to speak to all of their guests as everyone made good use of the bar. Drinks seemed to be thrust into their hands on regular occasions, but both of them were careful not to consume too much alcohol. After all, they still had their own private celebration to attend to.

An hour or so later the couple's attention was drawn to Kit, who had taken over the microphone at the DJ booth.

"Sorry to interrupt you all, but can I have your attention for a moment please?"

All eyes were immediately on the older Porter.

"Well we're all here today to celebrate the wedding of my baby sis and her beautiful new wife, and I'm honoured to be able to call them to the dancefloor for their first dance"

The two women looked at each other and joined hands as they walked to the empty dancefloor. When Kit kept hold of the microphone as the music started, they realised that she would in fact be singing their first dance song. They smiled at her gratefully before stepping into each other's arms, letting the smooth sounds of Kit's voice fill the ears of everyone in the room.

_You think I'd leave your side baby?_

_You know me better than that_

_You think I'd leave down when your down on your knees?_

_I wouldn't do that_

The brunette wrapped her arms around her wife's waist as Tina put her hands behind the strong neck of her lover. They began to sway lightly in time to the music, staring deep into each other's eyes as they lost themselves in the moment that was for them and them alone.

_I'll do you right when your wrong_

_I—–ohhh, ohhh_

_If only you could see into me_

It was the blonde who made the move to press their bodies together, stepping into Bette while keeping one hand hooked around her neck. She let her other hand wander up and down the brunette's side as she felt her wife wrap her arms tighter around her waist, pressing into her back.

_Oh, when your cold_

_I'll be there to hold you tight to me_

_When your on the outside baby and you can't get in_

_I will show you, your so much better than you know_

_When your lost, when your alone and you can't get back again_

_I will find you darling I'll bring you home_

Their cheeks rested against one another as they closed their eyes and lost themselves in the moment. Their bodies were tingling at every point that they were in contact as they felt one another's shallow breathing against their ears.

_If you want to cry_

_I am here to dry your eyes_

_And in no time you'll be fine_

Slowly their hands began to move, gently caressing the curves of each other's bodies. While there was nothing overtly sexual about their actions, they way the two women moved together had as much intensity as it would have done had they been naked. The blonde's hand slid inside her wife's jacket, pulling her closer as she felt a wandering hand running up and down the bare skin of her arm.

_You think I'd leave your side baby_

_You know me better than that_

_You think I'd leave you down when your down on your kness_

_I wouldn't do that_

As Tina's hand returned to the back of her neck, the brunette lifted one of her hands to slide into her hair, caressing her cheek. Their heads pulled back slightly so that they were nose to nose. After placing a light kiss on the tip of the blonde's nose, Bette tilted her head downwards and softly pressed their lips together. They held onto each other tightly as they slowly let their lips begin to move against one another, a wordlessly gentle expression of the way that they were feeling in that moment.

_I'll do you right when your wrong_

_I—–I, ohhhh, ohhh_

_If only you could see into me_

Softly they nibbled one another's lips, keeping the kisses light before they pulled their mouths apart. They stared into each other's eyes once again as the blonde tried to fight back tears.

Seeing the emotion in her wife's eyes, Bette pulled her in by the back of her hair so that her head was tucked into her neck.

"I love you so much" she whispered into her ear.

Tina just held her tightly, conveying her own message of love in return.

_Oh when your cold_

_I'll be there_

_To hold you tight to me_

_Oh when your alone_

_I'll be there by your side baby_

_I'll be there by your side baby_

As Kit finished, the couple stopped swaying and held one another for a few precious moments as they remained alone on the dancefloor. When the music changed, they pulled apart and Bette gave the blonde a chaste kiss on the lips.

They were soon joined on the dancefloor by their friends, with Alice as always being the first to arrive. The music was more upbeat and Tina was soon laughing again as they began to dance.

Later in the night Bette found Shane stood at the bar having just refilled her glass.

"Hey Bette, you want one?" she nodded at her glass.

"No thanks, I just wanted to say thanks for everything Shane. Not just for the wedding, but for everything you've done for me and T. You've been a rock for the both of us and we'll never forget it"

"Married life's making you sentimental" Shane teased.

"I'm serious. You know that if you ever need us, we wouldn't hesitate to be there for you"

"I know, and you know I'm always here for you guys"

The two women moved together and shared an embrace, squeezing each other tightly.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I believe I have a date with my wife" Bette grinned.

She headed back for the dancefloor to save Tina from a somewhat intoxicated Alice. They shared a knowing glance and headed hand in hand for the DJ, who handed them the microphone.

"Hi everyone" Bette spoke "my gorgeous wife and I are going to call it a night, so we just wanted to thank you all for coming"

There was a chorus of disappointed groans from the guests.

"Come on, would you guys be staying if you had this to go to bed with?" Tina grinned, wrapping an arm round her wife's waist.

"So make good use of the bar and we'll see you all in the morning" Bette shared the blonde's grin.

And so despite the protests, the two women left the room hand in hand to make their way upstairs for their first night as a married couple.


	50. Chapter 50

**A/N**

**So this is the final chapter in the story. I can't quite believe how long it goes on for! But thank you for reading, and hope you've enjoyed :)**

As they entered the bedroom, Bette kept hold of Tina's hand, leading her to the foot of the bed.

"T…..I just wanted to say thank you…thank you for making me the happiest I've ever been"

"I should be thanking you babe, for taking away all the bad memories and replacing them with memories of the best day of my life"

"It's been perfect" the brunette smiled softly.

"It really has. To stand up there in front of everyone that I care about and have you take me as your wife….I was so proud babe"

"You always have been and always will be my equal. And that's why I can give myself to you so completely, because I know you'll always treat me with care and respect"

"I don't think you always want me to respect you" the blonde grinned.

Bette raised an eyebrow.

"Because I think you rather enjoy it when I get you on your knees and force you to submit to me" Tina continued.

The brunette's face flushed with arousal as she softly pressed her lips to her wife's.

"I still know you'd never hurt me" she breathed against the blonde's lips.

"Never" Tina confirmed.

Bette slid two hands into the blonde's hair as their lips reconnected in a laborious kiss. She could feel her wife's hands sliding under her jacket to flatten against her lower back as her tongue flicked out tentatively, seeking entrance to the blonde's mouth. Tina whimpered and immediately parted her lips, letting her own tongue brush against the brunette's. There was nothing hurried about their actions as they knew they had all night to appreciate one another's bodies.

The brunette slid a hand round, letting it stroke the contours of Tina's neck firmly as she continued to let her tongue roam freely in her mouth. No-one had ever before caused her to bare her soul with the simplicity of a kiss, yet it was as though the blonde could penetrate right to her very core with every movement of her lips. Their kisses were instinctive, their lips caressing one another in perfect synchronisation as their hands pulled their bodies closer together.

"I am so completely and utterly in love with you" Bette confessed, kissing her way down the blonde's neck.

"Bette…"

The softness of Tina's voice caused the brunette to stop her actions to lift her head and look her wife in the eyes.

"I want you to always remember this moment. We made a promise today to be there for each other through the bad times as well as all the good times. And if bad times do come, I want you to take a moment to remember this feeling, to remember just how much we love each other. Because I love you with every part of my being and that will never change"

A single tear trickled down Bette's cheek at the impact of the blonde's words, and she tilted her head to place a gentle kiss on her lips.

"Turn around" she whispered huskily.

A shiver ran down the blonde's spine at the tone of her wife's voice, and she found herself turning around without even thinking. The brunette stepped in behind her, taking hold of her hip firmly with one hand while the other moved to brush her hair away from her neck. She leant her head down to place a kiss on the blonde's bare shoulder.

"Your beauty right now will be tattooed on my mind forever"

Her whispered confession came as she closed her lips around Tina's earlobe, letting her teeth graze over it. The blonde moaned softly, squeezing the brunette's hand that was resting on her hip.

It was slowly and deliberately that the brunette took a step back and took hold of the ribbon that zigzagged down the blonde's back. She began to unlace the corset, revealing her wife's spine to her as she pulled the two sides of the dress apart. She leant down and placed a kiss at the nape of Tina's neck before she began to slide the dress downwards. Slowly she eased the garment down, exposing more of the blonde's perfectly sculpted back to her hungry eyes. As the dress hung around her lover's waist, she kissed the spot between her shoulder blades and let her hands roam freely across her back.

"Bette…" the blonde breathed, losing herself in the reverance that her wife was displaying to her body.

The brunette left a trail of kisses up to Tina's shoulder while her hands ran smoothly up and down her quivering arms. She was in complete adoration of the woman before her, and felt as though she could spend her entire life venerating her body. As her mouth continued to place kisses on the blonde's shoulder, she let her hands run around to the front of her body and she cupped her naked breasts.

"God T…..you're just so perfect…." she murmured.

She heard the blonde whimpering as her hands began to expertly caress her breasts, massaging them with her fingers as she let her tongue run up her exposed neck. Her thumbs brushed over Tina's hardened nipples, causing the blonde's breathing to hitch. She repeated the motion, loving the way that her wife leant her head back against her, giving her permission to take complete control of her body. Looking down from over the blonde's shoulder, she watched as her thumbs began to circle her nipples and admired the way that her breasts fit perfectly in her hands.

"Babe….I need you to touch me" Tina panted.

"You need me?"

"Yes….you make me so wet"

"Mmm" the brunette moaned into her ear "God I love it when you get wet for me"

Bette's hands returned to the blonde's hips as she slid the dress down until it was free to fall to the floor. She took a step backwards to allow her wife to step out of the dress and licked her lips subconsciously at the combination of white stockings and suspenders together with white lacy underwear that was adorning the blonde's body.

Sensing the brunette's eyes devouring her, Tina turned to face her and saw her visibly swallow. They stepped in to meet one another and their mouths collided as if pulled together by a magnetic force. As their tongues tangled in their own unique dance, the blonde unfastened the button of Bette's jacket and slid it back and off her shoulders. Her hands returned immediately to the brunette's body, her fingers hooking under the hem of the thin vest top that covered her torso. She lifted the flimsy material, breaking the kiss to stare into her wife's eyes as she pulled the top off and threw it to one side.

It was Bette's turn to regain control as she held onto the blonde's hips and guided her backwards towards the bed, kissing her lips repeatedly as she did so. She eased her wife down into a sitting position and knelt between her parted legs.

"You always were capable of bringing me to my knees" she said softly, leaning down to place a kiss on her thigh.

Her hands ran deliberately up the blonde's legs to reach the sides of her underwear. She continued kissing her thighs as she slid the underwear down, exposing her wife to her permeating gaze. Tina lifted her foot to remove her heeled shoe, but was stopped by a hand on her knee.

"Leave them on" the brunette rasped.

The blonde raised an eyebrow and a dirty grin spread across her face "You like the heels?"

"I love them. I love all of this" Bette ran her eyes over the stocking and suspender combination "And most of all, I fucking love you"

There was a new found hunger in the brunette as she leant in and began kissing her way up the blonde's thighs with wild abandon. The scent of her wife's arousal flooded her nose, and she drank it in eagerly. Pushing her thighs further apart, she pressed her nose against the blonde's open centre and groaned from deep in her chest.

"You smell so fucking good" she growled.

"Babe!" the blonde gasped.

With one hand behind her body to steady herself, Tina reached down to move the brunette's hair aside so that she could watch as her wife's tongue emerged from her mouth and take its first lick of her core almost tentatively. For Bette, the blonde's taste was addictive. Once she had her first taste, it was as though she became consumed by Tina. Her tongue seemed to have a mind of its own as it made it's way through the blonde's folds, taking in as much of her essence as was humanly possible.

"Oh my god…" Tina exhaled, forcing herself to keep her eyes open so that she could watch what the brunette was doing.

Bette's tongue sought out the blonde's clit which seemed to be begging for her attention. It was almost a growl that came from her throat as she wrapped her mouth around the swollen nub, suckling on it desperately as though she'd never get the chance again. Her fingers dug into the blonde's thighs as she used her tongue to flick over her clit as she kept it sucked into her mouth.

"Babe…" the blonde groaned, tugging on her wife's hair in encouragement.

With the sounds of her lover's groans filling her ears, the brunette pushed her face harder against her core as if trying to make herself a part of the blonde's body. Tina could feel herself physically throbbing as the brunette's tongue caressed her clit, stimulating it in a way that only she seemed to know how. Her tongue circled and flicked as if tracing an invisible pattern on her lover's most intimate spot.

"Fuck….the things you do to me…."

Bette finally released her suction like hold on the blonde's clit and flattened her tongue, licking the length of her core repeatedly.

"Oh my god!" the blonde cried out.

Sensing that it was this motion that would allow her wife to come, the brunette repeated it over and over again, her neck moving up and down to assist her tongue. She loved to coat her tongue in the blonde's taste and could feel her lover squirming in pleasure.

"Fuck Bette….fuck!"

The brunette could feel her wife trying to close her thighs around her head and she pressed them open forcefully. She lapped at the blonde's clit, moaning into her core as she felt her muscles tensing.

Tina cried out in pleasure as her upper body dropped back against the bed. She felt the heat burning between her legs as the brunette continued to lap at her core, determined to drink as as much of her wetness as she could.

"Mmm…babe…" the blonde was finally able to exhale, her hands still tangled in her wife's hair.

Bette finally pulled her head back and let her tongue leave her lover's centre. She got to her feet and leant over the blonde's prostrate body, placing a chaste kiss on her parted lips. When she attempted to pull back, she found that the blonde gripped onto her arms, causing her body to fall down on top of her wife's.

"Hey" the blonde smirked.

"Hey yourself"

Tina lifted her head, pressing her lips to the brunette's as she reached around her back and unhooked her bra. She cast it aside and pulled her wife down so that their chests were pressing together as they kissed hungrily.

As they continued to kiss, they shifted up the bed until both women were able to lie flat on it. The blonde reached between their bodies, unbuttoning the brunette's pants and showing a clear intention to get her wife naked.

"You want them off?" the brunette smirked.

"I want everything off" came the husky reply.

With a grin, Bette got back up off the bed to undress herself. As she watched her wife slowly removing the remainder of her clothes, the blonde kicked off her shoes and unhooked the garter belt on her suspenders.

By this point the brunette was stood naked at the foot of the bed, her eyes fixed on her wife as she seductively slid down each stocking in turn.

"Fuck you're sexy" she breathed.

She crawled back on top of her lover, her knees either side of her thighs as she leant down to kiss her once again. The blonde loved how she could still taste herself on her wife's tongue, and moaned, reaching down to take hold of the brunette's firm ass.

As the kiss deepened, Tina ran one hand around her wife's hip until it came to rest just above her centre.

"Mmm….please…." the brunette breathed against her lover's lips.

"You want me to touch you?" the blonde asked huskily.

"Tina!" Bette growled, taking hold of the blonde's hand and guiding it downwards between her legs.

Tina's eyes rolled in excitement as she felt the wetness that had pooled at her wife's centre. Clearly the brunette had enjoyed pleasuring her.

"You're so wet" she breathed, letting her fingers explore the brunette's core as though it was the first time that she had touched her.

Bette was straddling the blonde's waist, and Tina looked down her body in wonderment as her thumb began to manipulate her wife's clit.

"Ahhh T…."

The brunette's hips began to rock back and forth, seeking out more contact with her wife's digits.

Without warning, the blonde thrust two fingers up inside her lover, causing a choked cry to emit from the brunette's throat. Bette's hips were grinding eagerly, loving the way that the blonde's fingers felt inside of her.

"You look so sexy right now" the blonde admired.

The brunette was sat up, leant forwards slightly so that her hands could rest on the bed to give her stability as she rocked her hips.

But still she needed more. She straightened her body upright, her hands resting on her own thighs and she began to lift herself up and down on the blonde's fingers.

"Mmm you like to ride my fingers, don't you baby?" Tina smirked.

"Yesssss" the brunette hissed in confession.

A sheen of sweat coated Bette's body as she jerked up and down, desperate to fill herself with the blonde. To Tina, it appeared as though she was glistening in the way that one might expect an angel to. She loved to watch the brunette controlling her own pleasure, essentially using her fingers. There was something so free about the way that she moved, and the contorted look of pleasure on her face was mesmorising to the blonde. But there came a point when she wanted to play a more active role in bringing her wife closer to orgasm.

"Lean back" she commanded.

The brunette whimpered, understanding what was being asked of her and becoming instantly excited by it. She leant back, placing her hands behind her, offering her body to her wife.

And Tina had no hesitation in taking it. Instead of relying on the brunette to move up and down on her fingers, it was she who began to thrust her digits firmly in and out of her wife.

"Fuccckkkkk!" Bette groaned, throwing her head back in her final act of submission.

The blonde looked on, almost in awe of the sight of her wife on top of her. Her eyes scanned the perfection that was the brunette's body, unsure of which part of the sculpted goddess to focus on. The way her hips moved, the way her breasts bounced with every thrust, the way her neck stretched as her head hung back in pleasure – every inch of her caused a stirring between the blonde's legs. But her eyes couldn't help but be drawn to the brunette's core. She felt so powerful as she watched her fingers disappear inside her lover, her wetness spilling out onto her hand.

"Oh my god" the blonde murmured in wonderment.

Bette groaned as she heard the words of pleasure coming from her wife's mouth. She continued bucking her hips, hearing as well as feeling every thrust of the blonde's fingers. From the angle that she was at, Tina could easily curl her fingers inside her lover, hitting her gspot with each thrust.

"Oh shiiiiitttt" the brunette groaned.

She tried to lift her head, desperate to make eye contact with her wife. When she did, she saw the blonde staring intently between her legs.

"T!" she gasped.

The blonde lifted her gaze, her eyes darkened with a hunger for her wife. Bette bit her lip, groaning as their eyes met. There was something about that animalistic stare that sent shockwaves through her body.

"I'm gonna come…..T…..I'm so close….."

Tina continued thrusting with increased vigour, desperate to see the brunette crash over the edge.

"Fuck fuck fuck fuck fucccccccckkkkkkkkkk!"

Her muscles spasmed and her whole body shook as she rode the waves of pleasure. Her head was flung back as she welcomed the final thrusts of the blonde's fingers.

When she finally came down from her high, the brunette hunched over forwards, feeling herself be pulled into her wife's embrace. Their bodies molded together, neither woman wanting a single particle of air to come between them as they attempted to regain control of their breathing.

It was Tina who recovered first, one hand lightly caressing the brunette's back as she tangled her other hands into her wife's hair.

"I love you babe" she said softly, kissing the brunette on the cheek.

"Mmm I love you too" Bette murmured, nuzzling into the blonde's neck.

"Can you believe we're really married?"

The brunette lifted her head slightly, propping it up on her hand so that she could look at her wife.

"Are you worrying that everything's gonna go downhill from here?" she teased.

The blonde laughed "Well they do say your sex life is meant to worsen after you get married"

"I don't think there's any danger of that" the brunette smirked, leaning down to leave a lingering kiss on her wife's lips.

"Well if I ever neglect your sexual needs, you'll just have to tie me up and have your way with me"

"Mmm can't I just do that anyway?" Bette pleaded, placing small kisses down the blonde's neck.

"You're insatiable" the blonde chuckled.

"I'm addicted. Completely and utterly addicted to you"

"And you're also very sweet" Tina grinned, kissing the tip of the brunette's nose.

"I've warned you about saying things like that…" the brunette tried to sound stern.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yes"

"And what happens if I ignore your warnings?"

"You don't want to find out"

"I don't huh? See I think you sound pretty cute right now…."

"That's it!"

Bette growled as she rolled on top of the blonde, her fingers immediately seeking out the ticklish spots on her wife's sides. Tina was giggling and squirming, trying to free herself, but she was pinned by the weight of her wife's body.

"Porter!" she yelped.

"Have you learned your lesson yet?"

"Yes! You're the toughest, hardest, strongest alpha that there is, and in no way are you ever cute or sweet!"

"Much better" the brunette grinned, giving her wife a peck on the lips before rolling off her to lay by her side.

The blonde rolled her eyes "You're crazy, you know that?"

"Yep. And you're stuck with my crazy ass until death do us part!"

"That can be arranged" Tina teased.

The brunette pouted.

"Aww I guess someone has to put up with you" the blonde smirked, rolling onto her side to face her wife "and that someone might as well be me"

"Well thank you for making that sacrifice"

Tina chuckled and softly pressed her lips to the brunette's. They wrapped their limbs around each other, slowly exploring one another's mouths with their tongues.

"The perfect kiss to end the perfect day" Bette smiled softly.

"No ends. This is all about beginnings babe"


End file.
